Dewprism II: Baby of Mine
by ReLiC AnGeL
Summary: This is a modern-day tale set in the year 2017. Ten years have passed since Mint and Rue's adventures to find the legendary 'Dewprism' end. Meeting in Carona, the doll and princess vow to always have each others back... till death do them part. They never expected Mint to wind up pregnant with Rue's first child.
1. Prologue: Tale of a Doll New Beginings

Sticky Note:

The following chapters may contain f/m lemon scenes, AU, OCs, preg, childbirth, and sweet/spicy-hot spoonful of Mint/Rue. You have been warned, pumpkins.

Disclaimer:

I acknowledge that the fictional characters from Dewprism and Threads of Fate do not belong to me. This is a non-for-profit fanfic written only for the entertainment of readers/fellow fans alike. Thanks to the creators at Square Enix (formally Squaresoft) for making the source of my writing inspiration.

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><p><strong>DEWPRISM II: Baby of Mine<strong>

_Written by: Relic-Angel_

_Disclaimer:__ The characters and game of ToF belong to their respective producers._

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><p>Prologue: The Tale of a Doll ~ New Beginnings<p>

There was a difference between 'will' and 'duty'.

One's duty could bring about the end of the world, whereas one's will can bring about hope for the future. All Rue had been doing was following his will. Moving forwards, unaware of his duties. The reasons he was alive in the first place...

The foundation of his existence involved waking up in a strange place surrounded by stones and water out in the middle of a snowdrift. He wandered around for a while, trying to clear the muddled mass of thoughts and corrupted orders in his mind, until he fell unconscious in the snow outside a wonderfully peaceful log cabin which happened to be the home of the first person he ever met, the kindest woman on the face of the planet; her name was Claire.

Claire lived alone in that same quaint cottage with a stable full of animals to attend to, so she took Rue in since he had no memories. She was older than him, and already he looked up to her as he would a sister. He loved her like family, and for about five years, they were a family. Rue managed to live quite contently with Claire in the snow on their little farm. He worked hard for her, no matter what. His loyalty was unbreakable.

One winter night, a man with a terribly misshapen hand came to the house, engaged in a battle with Rue and, during the process of the fighting, managed to kill Claire. Rue then grabbed his main weapon -the Arc Edge- and began his personal adventure to find the relic and bring her back. Rue's journey lasted for three, what one can only imagine to be absolute hellish years, before he found himself in Carona.

During this time period, the teenage boy was more than well aware that he was, rather obviously, not human; anybody with a pretty blue stone stuck on their forehead didn't seem to classify among the rest of the human population. Of course, he was equally as unaware as to what he was, but in all honesty he was perfectly fine with this arrangement, so long as Claire was around. This perfect set up -an underlying twinge of mystery that was always drowned out by the sisterly love he felt for Claire- was shattered into pieces on the night of her death. And although one could only speculate there was a decent chance that he became quieter and more brooding than he previously was, now not only able to freely theorize as to his own mysterious origins, but also mingle that with the simple and pure grief of her passing.

It took a rather long journey -which lasted for three years to be exact- until it ended on Rue's arrival to Carona, a small and quaint town that the wind had carried him to. Deciding to stay there, he made his way through the forest and found a pink-haired girl by the name of Elena being held hostage at knifepoint by two thugs. He saved her from the rogue pirates, and he helped her locate her parents. He later learned that her father, Klaus, was searching for the thing Rue was looking for. A relic.

While Rue was busy exploring an atelier that was deep in the forest, an aggressive and adventurous fifteen-year-old princess named Mint crossed his path, threatening him to hand over everything he found in the magician's workshop. At the same time when Rue had lost Claire, Mint had been stripped of her title as crown princess of the East Heaven Kingdom two years ago by her younger sister Princess Maya due to her elder sister's unprincess-like behaviour.

Mint was unable to compete with the powerful magic of the relic her sister possessed, so she had left her homeland on a journey to find a relic more powerful then Maya's and fulfil her ultimate goal -to become ruler of the world. Along the way, she crossed paths with Rue who was also in search for the relic.

Aeons created relics a thousand years ago, but they were too powerful -they were sealed, locked behind layers of mystery. Rue was caught within that mystery, and he moved forward in an attempt to find it. Gathering materials, creating Prima Doll and giving him life. Prima Doll had the ability to unlock the seal on the relic that Rue, Mint, and Klaus has been working towards. Valen's [relic].

But Valen wasn't a peaceful Aeon. Though Aeons were powerful and lived much longer than any human, they were not immortal. Valen wanted to make that impossible immortality a reality. He sought to use the [relic] that he created to come back. So many years ago, before he locked his spirit away in another dimension, he created many powerful and organic dolls who could all wake up and work together to bring their creator back.

That was their duty.

A duty that Rue didn't want any part in.

Even though he learned the shocking truth that he really _was_ Doll of Valen created all those years ago, Rue was not driven by that goal to resurrect Valen like the others were. Like Doll Master was. Doll Master was a failed doll who was, in a way, his older brother.

With the help of Klaus and his family, Rue moved ahead with his search in the weeks that followed. He spent that time looking inward to find the strength to carry on; the [relic] had the power to destroy the world if not handled carefully and he couldn't bear the thought of letting that happen. He headed up to Valen's Fortress (with the borrowed wings of a dragon), risking his life to save Claire. Wylef wished him luck as he left, ready to keep going.

Rue battled though many trials, fighting dangerous monsters, and the minions of Doll Master who were blocking his path until he found himself face to face with Valen himself. His spirit hanging on the edge, Rue's 'father' Valen told him about the [relic] the teenage boy had been seeking all this time. The [relic] was known as Dewprism.

Crafted out of the purist crystal, its power was unmatched. It was simply a microcosm of the universe, meaning to have the Dewprism was to have the universe. And Rue had a fragment of the Dewprism on his forehead a life stone.

Valen encouraged Rue to pray to Dewprism, to ask it to bring Claire back. Instead, Rue was fooled; the natural, perfect body of Claire that was created, made from all the good things in life, was cheated from him once more. Valen took over her body and tried to use it against Rue.

Removing Valen from Claire's body was no easy task, and in the end Rue needed help from his brother, Doll Master -whose real name was Ruecian. After he defeated Vaven and sent him back into his eternal sleep, the fortress the [relic] was held in began to collapse. So, grabbing Claire, he made for the exit, running into Mint along the way.

Together, the two of them tried to get out...

Mint did.

Rue didn't.

Trapped inside, he sat with Claire and prepared, this time, to follow her into death. It was that moment when Psycho Master appeared as the fortress began to fall and crumble from the sky, giving up the last of his powers to allow Rue and Claire to make it out safely.

Rue was in a coma for three days and when he awoke, the first thing he wanted to do was see Claire. But he couldn't. Not yet. After he spent some time talking to the other residents of the town, the moment came. The first time he could speak to Claire, his sister, in three years.

Claire's soft voice sounded so nervous; she feared that maybe Rue had changed. He too had worried that things would be different… but they weren't. And after breaking through their worry, Rue was finally able to touch her again. Knowing that she was real in his embrace, alive again, brought him peace. Finally.

Through all that happened, Rue managed to prove himself to be a very caring, sweet person; if going through all of Hell just to revive his surrogate older sister wasn't enough proof, then to look back on the full sympathy he managed to share with Prima Doll (who seemed to have identity problems that were bad enough to rival Rue's in a different format) as well as never seeming to get the notion to slap the cheerful and optimistic Elena every time she referred to him as 'Polly' for days on end.

'Polly' was a shortened name abbreviation for the monster transformation he used to save her from the bandits on the day they first met; the Pollywog -a little, docile floating yellow ball with a big tail and sharp teeth... This was how he gained the nickname 'Polly' by Elena.

Although Rue was rather quiet and shy at first, he did manage to open up more to the people who got to know him, but for those who dared to pry into his past would most likely try and attempt to strangle him to get him to talk, since he sounded more less then proud about his origins.

Mint went through a similar change of behavior; she expressed a certain degree of care for Rue during the aftermath of their battle with Valen, and they stayed friends ever since.

Everything soon returned to peace and the two companions parted and went their separate ways; Mint returned to East Heaven Kingdom under her sister's instructions and Rue traveled back to the mountains of Dermai with his fully-resurrected sister alive and well at his side.

One day, Princess Maya -Mint's little sister- sent a request to Rue that he help her out. She had found another one of Valen's dolls, named Ruenis, and he was awakened by his power. And instead of allowing the doll to carry on with his 'duty', the reason he was created, Rue invited Ruenis to come live with him and Claire in her little cabin.

A month after their Dewprism adventure, Mint received a letter from Klaus that he had found some leads to a relic that was rumoured to be hidden in the desert ruins of Esplesia City. Remembering that Rue still owed her (the white-haired warrior had reached his goal while she was left with nothing), Mint went straight to Rue and demanded that he should help her in their next relic hunt in the Western Desert. Her dream of 'world domination' that she thought about constantly was apparently still something she wanted to achieve.

Rue was reluctant about going on another relic hunt but he wanted to see everyone again, and decided to leave Claire and Ruenis behind in favour of exploring the desert ruins.

While they were on their adventure in the desert, the older teens both realised and came to terms with the developing feelings they had for one another. And they swore to live, breathe, fight and survive for the sake of the partner they loved deeply. Because of that love, together with Rue's help, Mint was able to find and gain control of the relic she had been seeking.

~0~

Ten years later Rue had the urge to go back to Carona as soon as possible. It was as if something was calling him there. Naturally, he told Claire and Ruenis about it over dinner and the two exchanged knowing looks.

Claire had a feeling that Rue wanted to return to Carona, since the town had become like a second home to him. She suggested it would be good for him to build his future there. Rue picked up on his sister's hint, and decided she was probably right.

The next day he grabbed the bags Ruenis and Claire helped prepare for him, and after they exchanged teary goodbyes, he boarded a ship to the port town of Carona; to seek out the crimson-haired girl with the wine-coloured eyes who gave him a reason to smile. He missed Mint so much.

In spite of finding a nice apartment, and focusing his attention on looking for work, Rue started to think his feeling was wrong. Mint wasn't going to be here no matter how much he wished to see her again. He kept in touch with Klaus, Mira, Elena, Prima Doll, Rod, Belle and Duke, and Fancy Mel... but the person he wanted to see most of all was her.

After having dinner at the pub with Belle and Duke one night, Rue walked the streets alone, in the direction of the central fountain. It was Mint's favourite place in town; the two of them used to sit and talk by the fountain's concrete rim. The sky had turned midnight-blue and was filled with twinkling stars across the navy canvas.

He passed through the alleyway leading from Rod's old camping grounds down by the meadow, and he noticed a young woman sitting by the fountain, watching the ripples distort her reflection.

Rue was intrigued by the feeling that he _knew _her; she looked so familiar. As he got closer, her features became much clearer. She had long red hair tied up in two flowing ponytails, and she was in an expensive outfit of orange tights and boots beneath a top and skirt. He was hesitant to call out to her, until his eyes caught the two familiar-looking golden hoops behind her back.

At the sound of her name, the woman turned around, revealing the pretty face Rue wanted to see for so long.

Rue could not believe that Mint was actually here in Carona. Like she had read his mind, she explained to him that she'd come to the place where she felt at home where she belonged. And even though she was strong and brave, she never really appreciated the more subtle pleasures life had to offer. Like he did.

The young man found that Mint's words made sense and they gave him a reason not to lose her ever again. Reaching inside his pocket, he brought out a small white box -a gift Claire had slipped into his bags on the night before he left for Carona. It was already sealed with his older sister's blessing, just in case he wanted to stay with Mint for the rest of his days.

He opened the box and showed the engagement ring to Mint, saying that if she wanted to spend her life here -together with him- then he was happy for her to do so. The next thing he knew, Mint had launched herself into his arms, crying happily against his shirt.

The pair stayed in the tight embrace for what seemed like an eternity. Mint unburied her head from Rue's chest and remarked that his marriage proposal was the stupidest she'd ever heard. But she said "yes" to it anyway; Rue was the one she wanted to spend forever with. They sealed the moment with a long, passionate kiss under the infinite cosmos.

They went by taxi to pick up all of Mint's belongings from her hotel room and brought them back to his apartment. Once Mint was happily settled in at her new abode, they called Claire and Ruenis the next morning and told them the news, then a wedding date was set.

When news of the impending marriage quickly spread, they received an unexpected letter from Maya, informing them that her father -King Timothy Artamecia- had stepped down from his place on the throne, and left it to his youngest daughter for her to take over as East Heaven Kingdom's sovereign. In hearing this, Mint would be furious; she was the oldest and first in line for the throne! While strong-willed, brash and sometimes egotistical, she had matured thanks to her sweetheart's patient nature. She _did_ care for Maya but had no idea how to express it -making her sound childish at times. So she gave up her grand plan to rule the world and sent her sister and her old man a wedding invite.

The couple were married under the goddess statue in a small, private ceremony preformed by the town priest in Carona's church, surrounded by the good friends they had made on their hunt for the Dewprism. Even Maya had come down to her sister's wedding with their father to give Mint away.

A long red velvet carpet led from the set of double doors up to the altar and there were a large number of chairs set up on either side of the carpet. Everyone was seated or standing along the outskirts watching.

The double doors opened and Mint walked into the cathedral, arm-in-arm with her dad. The room suddenly became hushed as the crowd turned to grab a glance at the elegantly dressed woman. The fine silk of her white gown slid down her body with a long skirt that flared out at the waist. She held a bouquet of pink cherry blossoms and fluffy white irises in her lace-gloved hands. A necklace made of gold decorated her neck-the same one Mint's mother once wore decades ago, now passed down to her daughter.

As Mint made her way along the red carpet, she saw Rue waiting for her at the altar in an off-white suit of simple design with an iris flower tucked into the breast pocket, his hair styled in a half-ponytail and tied back by a silk blue ribbon. Mint's father ceremoniously gave his daughter away, and her fiancé took her hand.

The priest began his speech on the couple's never-ending love for each other and how that was all they needed. The bride and groom exchanged their own vows, slipping their rings on the other's fingers then Father Doyle pronounced them man and wife, making the marriage official.

Rue lifted the long veil on Mint's head and smiled at her tenderly. Mint returned the look before they finished the ceremony with a kiss to seal their eternal promise.

The crowd cheered in applause, yelling and proclaiming their joy for the couple. When they ended the kiss, Mint placed her hand in Rue's and he gave hers a gentle squeeze before they walked away from the altar to an outside reception where all those assembled celebrated with dinner; toasts of sparkling wine and speeches; the cutting and serving of the multi-layered wedding cake; the bridal bouquet toss and dancing.

As the festivities drew to a close, the newlyweds bade farewell to their nearest and dearest. Then the bride and groom retired to the hotel room they had reserved for them. Outside the inn, Fancy Mel smiled to herself and fondly waited for her wedding gift to work its magic.

Coming to their room, Mint told Rue to stay outside until she finished preparing her own wedding gift to give him, leaving a bewildered Rue to wonder what she was planning.

Once the door to the room was shut, Mint sat down on a stool, trying to calm her rapid breathing. This was something she really wanted to do for him, and for herself. She trusted him, with her very life, so why should this be so difficult? Standing up suddenly, she opened the bag Fancy Mel had given her during the reception, who told the adventurer with a wink that the contents were a special surprise to save for Rue when they finally have some time alone. Heat rushed into Mint's cheeks when she saw what was inside and she looked in the mirror, stealing herself. She reached into the bag and started to prepare….

Meanwhile, Rue had started to get worried. What was she doing in there? Why was she taking so long? Her voice suddenly called out to him, asking if he was ready. Startled, he answered that he was, and opened the door when she told him to. He made his way inside and his breath caught in his throat. Standing before him in the dim light of the room was Mint. She was wearing a set of lingerie made to look like a sexier version of her travelling attire; a blue chiffon jacket with white cuffs at the ends of the long sleeves, a short skirt that parted outwards at the front, a wide brown leather belt, a white strapless bra and matching white lace panties.

Rue looked so stricken, it was almost funny. His face turned extremely red when he noticed the flimsy fabric made Mint look naked under it. Trying to find his voice, he asked her why she was in the revealing outfit, and Mint accidently blurted out that Fancy Mel had told her that the underwear was only the outer wrappings to her 'treasures'. Rue wondered if Mel had mischievously set the spoiled princess up just so she would hook up with him. Mint reluctantly confessed that it was really her idea, but didn't know how to follow through with Mel's plan. _That_ was the last thing Rue expected to hear. Of course he loved Mint, and he enjoyed being in her company. He knew he wanted to make her feel special, not just because she was the ruler of his wanderer heart. But this...

The situation hit home to the couple, leaving both relic-hunters shaken and unsure, poised on the brink of something new and frightening. Throwing caution to the wind, Mint made the first move, kissing Rue briefly to make her feelings known. The heartfelt, surprise kiss left Rue understandably dumbfounded, but soon he found himself returning it. Kisses soon led to touch, touch led to bed...

And the rest of their night was spent teaching and learning. There were tears and laughter, teasing and kissing, perspiring and groaning. Inside their bodies, a new promise was formed; they belonged solely to one another, no one else. The biggest day of their lives was complete.

Shortly after the wedding day, the newlyweds began to enjoy their new state of matrimony. That was until they returned to Carona from their week-long honeymoon -a gift from Mint's wealthy family- they started to notice the three-room apartment where they lived was starting to feel... small.

They saved up their money and set out to search for a proper place, except all the available houses they inspected did not seem right for them. Then one day, while Mint was walking home from a successful job interview, she came across a real estate advertisement featuring a wood-frame, two-story house with a picturesque front garden, a stone wall with front gate, a side porch and an upper balcony. Two words, printed in white capital letters, made her heart race: FOR SALE. She didn't mention the house to Rue then, preferring to wait for a more auspicious time in which to bring up the subject.

The next day, though, she made an appointment with the retailer to view the house...

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><p><em>Authoress Notes<em>_:_

_This story takes place ten years after the events in Threads of Fate, set in a modern universe. It starts with a backstory of Rue's game. Several years after their Dewprism journey, Mint gets bored of royal life and decides to live in Carona with Rue. After coming home from their honeymoon, she finds the perfect house where they want to live and so the couple moves in together... until innocent and pure-hearted Rue finds out one morning that his fiery and high-minded Mint is pregnant with their first child. I'm one of those MintxRue people, so there's going to be quite a lot of that in here too. _

_Standard disclaimers rule, I don't own Threads of Fate/DewPrism or the characters. I do, however, own the characters of Asuna, Krissy and Baby Artema, as well as the plot to this story (er, the parts that were not in the original story, if that makes sense). __Please send feedback and look forward to the next chapter. ^^_


	2. Chapter I: More than a fresh Start

"In the master there is a servant, in the servant a master." - Cicero, Marcus T.

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><p>Chapter I: More Than a Fresh Start<p>

Thursday, 13 April 2017.

The house in question was located approximately thirty-four minutes from central Carona by taxi cab, in a quiet suburban neighborhood with a secluded, friendly atmosphere. The building itself appeared to be a stately, wood-frame, lime-green house -of modern, Western-influenced Eastern design, two stories high. It had wide, tinted glass windows and a beautiful front garden with colorful, fragrant shrubs resting against the house. The shutters and door were painted a serene brown color.

Standing in front of the mansion was a very handsome young man, who appeared to be between twenty-six or twenty-seven years of age. At a height of five-foot-nine and weighing one hundred thirty pounds, he had a fairly slim physique filled out by the impressive amount of muscle on him that he'd gained over the years, the result of wielding his favorite weapon-a heavy, circular axe known as Arc Edge.

His big eyes were colored a very deep, dark auburn hue, clearly accented against his light skin and shockingly snow-white hair. He kept most of the purely white locks tied back in a low ponytail with a long golden ribbon, except for three gravity-defying wayward strands that stuck out. With his small nose, thin mouth and weak chin, he had the face of an angel; young, innocent and surprisingly attractive. Embedded right in the middle of his forehead was a small, dark blue, diamond-cut jewel, which was hidden by the bits of hair that fell into his eyes. He wore a white button-up shirt, black pants and brown shoes. A long green coat draped over his broad shoulders and a leather belt could be seen poking out from it.

"Mint, is this_ really _a good idea?" He asked. His voice was soft-spoken and well-mannered.

Rue Artema turned and looked back at the red-headed woman who stood at the other end of the concrete driveway lined with tall, blossoming Agapanthus and pink rose bushes. She was a head shorter then Rue and looked the age of twenty-five, about five-foot-five and weighing ninety-nine pounds.

Mint had the kind of beauty that stopped men in their tracks. Her pale red hair, much akin to fire, was usually kept up in a pair of loose twin ponytails tied with two blue hair ties, leaving the thin, long strands of hair in front of her ears to dangle below her shoulders. A curtain of bangs swept over the sides of her temples and her forehead, hanging down to her perfectly arched eyebrows that thinned out at the ends. Her body was trim and slightly curved, that of a feminine warrior, perked and trained into perfection. Her skin was so softly tanned and stretched over her lithe frame. Long, dark eyelashes shadowed her burgundy eyes and her full lips were the color of a young rose, contrasting well against the flawless skin on her small face -a face with high, full cheeks, a small, rounded chin and a thin nose. The only jewelry she wore was a pair of gold hoop earrings, made to resemble the two ring-like weapons she kept belted to her waist-the Dual Halos.

She was dressed in a royal blue and white jacket worn over a short black dress that stopped at mid-thigh, along with knee-length brown boots.

"Oh come on, Rue, lighten up! Where's your sense of adventure?" Mint crossed the velvet green front lawn and up the steps until she was at her husband's side on the front porch. Her voice was feminine and neutral, with a strong East Heaven accent. "Let's go take a look around."

Ex-crown princess Mint of the mystical East Heaven Kingdom had met the loyal, humble, gentle, affectionate, efficient and honorable Rue on her hunt for the Dewprism ten years ago. Spoilt rotten, selfish and overconfident, Mint's irresponsible and ill-mannered ways had her stripped of her position as heiress to the throne by the machinations of her younger sister Maya and the mysterious court advisor known only as Doll Master. Fired up, Mint set out on a journey to obtain a [relic] -which were powerful, magical artifacts left behind by an ancient race of demigods- with which she could oust her little sister from her rightful place, and then move on to achieving her ultimate goal -world domination!

After wandering for two years, Mint's quest eventually led her to the quiet little town of Carona, following rumors concerning the greatest of all Aeon relics: the Dewprism, a magical crystal forged by the Aeon Valen to reflect or refract all energy in whichever way the wielder desired. Making Carona her base of operations as she explored nearby ruins for clues to obtaining the Dewprism, Mint quickly grew to know the town's inhabitants, chief among them the archaeologist Klaus Alder; the sorceress even ended up saving his daughter Elena several times, despite her selfish nature. Mint also encountered her rival in relic-hunting for the first time, a mysterious boy named Rue, and his considerable efforts in obtaining the Dewprism only served to drive the princess harder.

Eventually, the schemes of Doll Master came to fruition, and Valen's fortress appeared in the skies above Carona. With the help of her new friends, Mint managed to infiltrate the floating fortress -filled with a maze of paths, portholes and monsters- and make her way to its heart, where she learned that Doll Master -and Rue- were dolls created by Valen in order to revive him and provide him a new body. After defeating Doll Master, Mint confronted Valen himself, and despite his possessing Rue's body and then refracting himself through the Dewprism to become a terrifying monster (that was too stupid to stop using the attack that Mint could absorb and fire back at him), the sorceress prevailed...

...and returned to find that the Dewprism had disappeared, the prize she had sought now forever out of her reach.

On her adventures, Mint had regained a modicum of respect for her sister Maya, so at first, the errant princess was content with regaining her position as heir, after returning home at the request of both Maya and her father. But eventually growing bored and rebellious, Mint soon found that she didn't enjoy being pampered like she used to; seeing the big wide world with her own eyes had given her a thirst for adventure. Even her ailing father's offer to accept Mint as future ruler didn't hold much appeal. As hard as it was to admit it, Mint knew her younger sister was capable of ruling East Heaven Kingdom by herself. What Mint wanted was a bit of action.

Her wish was soon granted with the sudden visit of Prima Doll delivering a letter from Klaus, the contents of which making Mint one happy young woman, and shortly thereinafter she burst into the residence of Rue, Claire and their new housemate Ruenis, and told them the news that Klaus had apparently found a new relic located in the desert to the west, in some abandoned ruins known as Ephlesia City. She demanded that Rue pay his dept to her, as he got to use the power of the Dewprism and she didn't, and Rue agreed after checking to make sure Claire and Ruenis would be alright in his absence. The two left for their journey, only to learn that the relic they were seeking was heard to be too powerful. Instead, what they found was a new meaning to their relationship-the power of true love.

In the years that followed, since returning to her homeland one final time, Mint decided to ditch her royal title, and began making plans to settle down in the town where her adventures all started. Her sister voiced her concerns over this new course, but it wasn't until Mint locked herself in her room and started packing her bags that Maya chose to confront her.

That day gave birth to a new era, the day when Princess Mint Artemecia left home and got on a plane heading to Carona from East Heaven without looking back, and the day when she eloped with the county boy who broke her shields.

Needless to say, after the former princess hailing from a royal family -with an unusual bloodline in magic- said yes to Rue's marriage proposal when he bumped into her at the place she now called home, the two had their own wedding "celebration" behind the locked door of their shared room at the Inn.

Rue dragged his attention away from his wife's exotic claret eyes and took the house key out of his jacket pocket. He inserted the key into the lock, turned it to the left and heard a soft click. Mint pushed the oak front door open and entered the house, with Rue following obediently behind.

Their shoe-clad footsteps echoed hollowly off the walls of the entry hall. The floor was made out of polished floorboards and the bare walls were the color of soft vanilla. At the other end of the hallway was another door which led to a downstairs basement. There was an elegant formal lounge room to the right of the hall. On the left side was a small, relatively simple dining room with an adjacent kitchen. Other features on the first floor included a spacious living area with a north-facing bay window and a stone fireplace, a laundry room with storage space, powder room, a built-in pantry and a covered patio with surrounding decking and low-maintenance landscaping.

While Mint inspected the empty rooms on the first level, Rue proceeded up the staircase, the wooden banister intricately designed with twisting tree roots carved into it, which led to the second floor. There, he found two double bedrooms, one master bedroom with a huge walk-in robe plus luxury en-suite, a light-filled central bathroom with separate toilet, and on the roof was a private balcony. Next to the set of steps heading up to the balcony was a wooden door built into the wall.

He was astounded when he opened the door and found himself in a connecting room with soundproof walls-an ideal personal study. Outside the window overlooking the sprawling backyard was an oak tree that even had a swing-seat. Having lived in the countryside for most of his life, Rue thought the tree added a homey touch to the property.

Feeling more pleased, he came down the stairway. "This place is even better than I thought."

"I think it's perfect." Mint was standing next to him, hands on hips.

"Do we really need the extra space? I don't know if we can afford three bedrooms, a full basement, walk-in robes and a two-car garage."

Mint cast a withering gaze. "Well, I don't want to watch my money get eaten up by another coin laundry machine."

Rue heaved a sigh. There was no point in arguing with her... unless he wanted to go to an early grave.

"Since you're the one who found the house first... what do you say we should do?"

"I say we quit with the house-hunting and stay _here_!" The tsundere woman with the flame-red hair said with a smile, Rue nodding once at her decision. She walked up and ran a finger up Rue's neck up to his chin. "Why don't you show me our future love nest? I haven't seen it yet."

"Was that a synonym, or are you suggesting we do something else up there?"

Reaching out, Mint took one of his hands and placed it on her chest. "I'll let you figure it out."

Rue looked puzzled for all of two seconds before he realized exactly what she wanted.

"I see. Well... since you put it that way," He ran his other hand down along Mint's smooth back to her pert rear, where it came to rest. "Then I suppose we _could_ stay here a little longer."

"Whatever you say, 'Master'." Mint put one of her hands behind his neck and brought their lips together in a short kiss. "Now that I have you in my palm, I'm going to take this."

"Huh? Hey!" Rue's hand darted up when she took out his ponytail, his white hair tumbling down around his shoulders. She held the yellow ribbon between her fingers, waving it in front of his eyes, reminding him just how much of a clever minx she can be.

He smiled lightly. "Alright, little kitten, you had your fun. Now give it back," He reached out to take the ribbon from her... but Mint only pulled it further away from of his reach.

Mint choked down a laugh. "You think I'm going to hand it over just like that? Not likely." she smirked. "I _might _give you your ribbon back if you can prove your worth and overthrow me."

Turning away from Rue, she began making her way up the stairs.

Rue watched her in silence. Moving two steps at a time, she reached the top of the stairs. She turned to smile mysteriously at him and she slapped her behind.

"Think you're man enough to take on the gracious and great Princess Mint? Then show me what you got!"

He blinked as he remembered the ribbon, and suddenly the thought of taking Mint up on her challenge seemed very appealing. Besides, they were both alone, this house seemed to suit their every need, and those facts were lost to neither of them. But Rue was sure, and Mint was certain, that the other didn't want to live anywhere else. In some surreal way it was true and they both accepted it.

"As you wish, Lady Mint." Rue responded with a mock bow, sweeping his hand out in a chivalrous gesture. When he returned to an upright position, he hurriedly climbed the stairs after his fiery girl.

Mint squeaked when she saw him in hot pursuit. She raced down the hallway with all the energy and agility of a ten-year-old child. A single, happy thought buzzed in Rue's head as he chased after her.

He was going to like living here...

In no time at all, they arrived at the main bedroom. As Mint stopped to catch her breath, shoulders slumped in a gesture of surrender, her pursuer caught up with her. She then straightened herself, a slow grin coming over her features as she looked over at Rue.

Rue blinked at her confusingly, wondering what that grin meant. The only thing he was certain of was that it wasn't an innocent look.

Still grinning, Mint beckoned Rue closer with a finger. She had a great, great idea of how to break in this comfortable house. It only needed two people to work...

Not really sure what to expect, he came over. Despite not knowing Mint's intentions, he felt a little hesitant but not fearful. After all, apart from her money-grubbing ways, she was still his lady love in the end.

Mint slipped her hands about the back of his neck to pull him in. "C'mere, you..." she giggled. Rue didn't have a single second to react because in the next instant Mint's lips were pressed firmly to his in a kiss.

His arms automatically wrapped around Mint, pulling her close to him. She was all his to love, serve and protect. He couldn't focus on that thought for long; her eyes, the spicy scent of her hair that was all her own, her captivating perfume, the faint taste of her cinnamon lip gloss, and the warmth of her skin kept distracting him. He loved everything about her, and they only left him begging for more. Making love to Mint was not his top priority... but now he was the happiest man in the world.

The door flew open, with Mint leading Rue into the bedroom without breaking their bond, and he closed the door behind them, flipping the lock shut. His ginger-haired temptress then broke their embrace, walked to the middle of the room and playfully kicked her boots off. Smothering a smile, Rue stepped out of his own shoes and tugged off his socks.

Mint grinned. "You look kinda' flushed under those clothes… How about letting me get you out of them?"

"Only if you'll let me take off that outfit of yours." was what Rue said, shrugging off his jacket.

And with near-frantic intensity they were pressed together again. Their hands groped and fumbled, reaching for buttons, zippers, belt buckles and snaps. A flurry of their clothes flew across the sunlit room and landed in the furthest corner until they finally stood almost naked in the sunlight, breathing with exertion. Rue looked down and smiled broadly.

"You naughty girl. Are you wearing a thong?"

"Had to find something that wouldn't show under the dress," Mint poked her tongue out at Rue.

"I like it. The color looks good on you..." He said admiringly. Getting down on his knees, he slowly ran his hands down Mint's sides, stopping at the waistband of her panties. "You won't be needing this for a while." He hooked his thumbs under the band, tugging gently.

The thong began to slide, and Mint had to bite her lip to stop herself from giggling as Rue eased it down off her hips to the floor. She obligingly stepped out of her lacy pink underwear, and watched them fly across the room and into the pile of clothes.

"Wow, Mint..." Rue sighed, gazing at her slender form in the sunlight. "I wasn't expecting the view to be so beautiful from down here. In fact, it's so amazing, your body makes me think I'm looking at a goddess."

What he said about Mint was true. Her face had grown more full and womanlike. She now had breasts (highly noticeable) standing proudly on her elfin frame, perfectly-shaped hips and a pair of long and powerful legs.

"A 'goddess', huh? I like the sound of that." Mint reached out and petted the top of Rue's hair with her hand. She smiled fondly when Rue nuzzled his head under her palm. "If I'm such a goddess then you can serve me as my guardian angel. So, how about it; will you give in to me?"

Rue took Mint's offer into consideration. Then...

"I don't think so." He rose to his feet and began to leave slow, teasing kisses on her smooth neck, savoring the oriental scents of her body. He was _not _going to be pushed around by the bossy princess today.

A small noise escaped Mint as she felt Rue's lips brush her pulse point. So he was choosing to resist her, huh? Well two can play at that game! Her hands came up behind her husband's head, Mint massaging her fingers in his hair. She was suddenly caught off guard when Rue circled his left arm about her waist and pulled her into an embrace. He moved his right hand upwards, cupping one of her soft breasts and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Mint shivered, taken by surprise. "Mmm… that's nice, Rue. Say... since when did you get so good at this?" she almost purred, grinning.

She looked at Rue's boyish face for an answer and saw it in the mischievous sparkle in his eye. Rue only smiled at Mint slyly, causing Mint's heart to leap in her throat.

"I had plenty of practice with you." With that, he raised his thumb and ran circles around the hardened pink bud on her chest before leaning in to kiss it. "Do you like that?"

"Ohh yeah." Mint moaned out softly in response, knowing full well that she liked what Rue just did, and wanted him to do more. "Don't forget the other one."

"I haven't forgotten, just wait."

Rue obeyed his goddess's plea and paid the same loving attention to the other breast, fastening his lips around it and suckling at her. Mint was responsive; she moaned and sighed and half-whispered Rue's name again. A sparkle of pink showed on her cheeks. He took this as a sign that she'd really love for him to continue.

"You don't want me to stop, do you?" he asked between licks. Of course he knew what the answer would be, but wanted to hear it from her.

"... No way." Mint sighed contently. "You stop now, I'll torch your sorry-_Eep_!" she let out a startled squeak when he nipped her skin gently with his teeth.

The wide-set brown eyes glanced up to meet Mint's flushed face, his soft mouth set in a sincere smile. "Now, now. There'll be no more of that, my great Goddess. Just tell me what you want and let me do the rest. I want you to feel good. No... I want to _make_ you feel good."

He glided the hand that was on Mint's breast down over her tight stomach, feeling against his fingers the girl's supple skin and the deceptive steel of the muscle hidden behind it. He reached the triangle of soft red hair that covered her pubic bone and -on a whim- started to trace through it, tenderly teasing her sacred area.

His wife squealed and laughed. "Hehe! Rue, quit it! Don't –hee!- tickle me there - hehe!"

Rue chuckled to himself and moved on before the mood was spoiled. He lowered his hand further, past the neatly-trimmed patch until he encountered a warm dampness.

The redhead opened her mouth in a silent gasp at the feel of Rue's careful fingers rubbing up and down her slit. Mint had always been a fairly emotional person, and while her temper was the most usual display of it, her other emotions could get just as powerful, as demonstrated by her sudden grab for Rue in a fit of lust and she hugged him, causing Rue's finger to plunge in her neither regions.

Rue was very surprised when Mint fiercely embraced him, feeling his finger go deep inside the love of his life. "Mint, you're-"

Mint cut him off. "I-I know." Her cheeks reddened, and she tried to ignore the weird, warm wetness at her crotch. "Hey Rue?"

"Yes?"

She smiled. "Can you... lean back for me?"

Rue didn't know why she wanted him to do that, but still he compiled. He held Mint close and leaned back, his hand still stuffed between her legs. At the same time, Mint pressed herself up against Rue, pushing him to the floor, the young woman landing on top of him. She looked in his eyes then gave him a long kiss, her hands pressing down on his shoulders.

"Not so superior now, are you?" Mint smirked hauntingly as she pulled away.

He looked at Mint with a confused expression, then glanced down at their position. A mad blush crept into Rue's cheeks when he realized she had him pinned.

_Darn, she trapped me._ He returned his gaze to her pretty face, embarrassed at having played right into her hands.

That was until the touch of Mint's bare back gave him an idea...

_Now if he would just lose those mysterious black shorts..._ Mint froze when she felt Rue gingerly run his fingertips up and down along her spine. She yelped in surprise, and clenched her teeth as she tried to focus on keeping still.

Rue grinned wickedly in spite of himself at the divine power he had over the dominating redhead. He resumed pleasuring Mint's moist lower regions in his full efforts -he didn't want to disappoint her by stopping now- until his dear wife won't be able to take it anymore and succumb to his hands.

Mint felt waves of pleasure crash down on her. "Oh [EXPLETIVE]!" she cried out, bucking her hips against his hand. Warm tingling spread through her entire body and her breath hitched in her throat. She could feel an internal pressure building up… and it kept building higher until she was ready to burst...

"Aaaaah!" Mint gave an exhilarating cry as she came.

Rue felt something warm and wet glaze his fingers. He stared open-mouthed at Mint.

"Did... Did you just...?"

She was still gasping for breath, but managed a grin. "Yup! You made me do that." Her words cause his heart to swell with confidence.

Rue reluctantly withdrew his hand from her warmth, then froze when she grabbed his wrist, holding it up between them... and started licking the clear fluid off his fingers.

He stared intently. "... Mint, what are you doing?"

"What's it look like? I'm giving you a bath!" she gave him a playful smirk.

"By grooming me?"

"It's not _grooming_!" Mint bent in to give him a small kiss on his glittering gem. "I'm making your hand all nice and clean again. So if you wanted to take me later, it won't be so sticky." She backed up and repositioned herself in his lap.

"What ever happened to the future Queen of the world...?" Her husband inquired. His eyes glinted with amusement.

"Hm. Let's just say that behind_ this_ queen there is a guy who's worthy of [expletive] her." she replied. Moving her eyes to the front of his boxers, Mint suddenly grinned. "And it looks like someone needs to tame the wild doggy~!"

"Huh?" Rue glanced down to where she was looking and found an obvious tent in his shorts. His face went extremely red and he covered his crotch to hide his arousal.

But Mint was faster. She reached down, taking his hand off the pulsing shaft so she could feel him through the fabric. Rue buried his head against Mint's shoulder, panting heavily when he felt the small hand close around his hardness. He trembled, a loud groan quivering in his throat; the intense feeling of sensual pleasure her touch created was so _strong_!

"Hehe! You actually like that?" Mint was loving the reaction she got out of Rue. She decided to torture him a little by s-l-o-w-l-y stroking her hand across his length. A pleased smile appeared on her face as she watched Rue melt like butter under her hands, his muscles relaxing and eyes closing shut against her erotic onslaught.

"M-Mint... Stop." He hissed. "I-If you keep doing that... you're going to... drive me crazy."

Mint sighed in exasperation, "Fine, I'll stop teasing you..." and she pulled her hand away. The woman reached up her arms and removed the hair ties, pulling her hair totally free, letting the pinkish red locks flow down her back. She let herself fall back on the floor, her lovely legs stretched before her, her petite mounds having bounced upon impact, red eyes slanted seductively.

Fill me, they said.

Rue picked up on Mint's invitation and nodded softly. He slipped off his underwear as she reached for her handbag, rummaging around in it for a contraceptive. She soon found it and tossed the sachet to Rue, who took out the small covering as vigilantly as he could. After placing the thin, rubber tubing on his entire arousal correctly, he approached Mint on his hands and knees, covering her radiant skin with light kisses. The redhead bit her bottom lip in anticipation; she was ready for this than anything! She moved her legs further apart as she waited for him.

Finally, his passion found hers, and slowly pressed inside. Mint let out a low moan as Rue pushed himself more until he was halfway in. They wrapped their arms around the other so their faces were inches apart.

Rue leaned forward and kissed Mint, causing his erection to sink deeper into her. He broke the kiss long enough to quickly force the rest of his member inside the woman he cherished before joining their lips together again in another heart-melting kiss. It continued for nearly a minute before they had to breathe again.

When the welcoming weight of Rue's nice toned pale chest and his washboard stomach pressed against Mint's taunt belly and handful-sized breasts, the two trembled from a rush of shared pleasure at their union.

There was a moment of stillness in the room, as the quiet doll and tough ex-princess beamed content smiles and looking at nothing but the other's eyes: either a pair of deep chocolate, or ones that were happy rubies.

"I love you so much." Mint whispered to Rue.

"I love you too, Mint." Rue whispered back. Then, taking intuitive, he began to move.

He began a steady rhythm of slowly pulling out and entering again slightly faster. He reached over and maneuvered her legs about his waist, using his knees as leverage. Rue could tell in an instant the changed angle caused him to hit Mint's magic spot, because the red-haired female laughed and gasped each time the tuft of white on his hilt brushed ever so softly against her clit. This new position left his hands free to caress her chest for a moment before he rested the appendages on her hips to take the sensations further. His movements became faster, and before long he was ramming hard into her, moving no longer gently but with a drive of vibrant pleasure.

Mint was truly in heaven now. "Ah... Yes... Rue..." she moaned out the words. Beyond thinking, she countered Rue's fluid pace by wildly bucking her hips along in an effort to speed things up.

Their bare skin rubbed hard against the other, feeling their bodies growing hotter. With tears of happiness leaking out of her eyes, she giggled as Rue left a trail of feather-soft kisses on the front of her flushed neck, whispering "Who's my pretty girl?", and stopping every now and then to give it a lick with his tongue. She was visibly happy, as well as Rue, who brought his immediate attention back to thrusting in and out of her tight canal.

They knew their moment was fast approaching, but they didn't care about going slowly now. All they cared about was the love they had for one another, their bodies moving in strength and swift technique, the lust and desire that's driving them wild, and that was all they needed. Suddenly Mint felt like she was going to explode. "Rue, I think I'm gonna-"

"Me too. We're almost there. Just keep holding onto me, alright?" Rue responded, breathless. Their breathing came out in ragged, desperate pants as he kept pumping relentlessly, hearts and minds all moving back and forth in delicious friction. It was coming and neither one of them could stop it. Neither one _wanted_ to stop it...

"—You really know how to make a girl feel good, Rue. Make me come! I want to come-"

"-No need to beg. I want you to have this as you like it-"

"-My body's so light and heavenly, it's wonderful. No, _you're_ wonderful! I love you. Aaah!"

"-I love you too-"

And the dam burst. Mint's whole body tightened at the instance of her release, clinging to the man she treasured for dear life.

"Rue!" she cried out.

Rue watched Mint's face as she went over the edge; that sight, the sound of his name from her lips, and the feel of her vaginal muscles clenching from the inside made him follow Mint immediately. With a final hard thrust and a wordless cry, he breached the woman's uterus and shivered as climax rocked his body.

They nestled in the other's arms, relishing the waves of their joint release. They remained motionless for a few seconds with Rue on top of Mint, both of them breathing heavily, with sweat rolling off both of their bodies. Their clothes and underwear lay forgotten in a heap on the floor.

She beamed sweetly up at him, panting. "That was unbelievable!"

"So are you." He said breathlessly. "Still, I know one thing…"

"And what's that?"

"Looks like we found our dream home."

They gave each other a slow, sensuous kiss. Mint detected a familiar scent in the air and smirked mischievously.

"Guess we left our mark here, huh?"

Her comment about them consummating their love in the house where they planned to live made them laugh. When their laughter subsided, Rue dropped a chaste kiss on Mint's forehead and got up on his knees, using the hardwood floor below to lift himself up. He slowly slid his member out of Mint then rested his head on her B-cup breasts, since he liked their soft fluffiness and it was always comfortable. Mint proceeded to tie back Rue's hair with his yellow ribbon and glide her fingers through it.

They were silent for a moment, feeling spent and content. Rue listened to the steady beat of her heart... The rhythm of her breathing... The sound her voice…

"...the perfect mating spot." Mint was saying.

Her partner lifted his head up in response. "Did you say something?"

"Nothing much. I was saying our bed could go here next to the window."

"That's a great idea. We've got the sun warming our skin, all the physical energy at our disposal-" He nuzzled his nose along the valley of her cleavage. "-and what better way to start the morning with your sleeping face next to mine."

Mint's face went bright red when she realized what he was doing. "Don't tease! Help me up! Sheeeesh!"

"Alright, alright." The doll reached for the sorceress and carefully pulled her up until she was in a comfortable sitting position. When Rue's body came into full view, the red-haired woman removed the contraceptive off of him. She wrinkled her nose at the sight of it.

"How do we going to get rid of this? There's no bin anywhere!"

Rue sighed. "Hold on, I'll get a tissue…" He walked over to the pile of clothes -still beautifully naked!- sorting through the pile for a moment until he found his boxers and pants and pulled them on. He reached into one of the deep pockets and pulled out a tissue.

No sooner had he done that, Mint snatched the tissue out his hand faster than a heartbeat and wrapped the used protection in it. She crossed the room, opened the window then tossed the now-dirty tissue away before Rue had the chance to stop her.

"MINT!"

"What! It landed in the bushes." Mint grinned, turning to face Rue, who was gaping at her in shock. She casually picked up her thong, her black corded dress and blue-and-white jacket off the floor and put them on before slipping her feet into her brown boots.

When they were suitably clothed, they looked outside at the sky through the window. They sat for a bit and watched rays of sun pierce through the clouds. Mint was resting her head on Rue's shoulder.

It was a while before either of them spoke again, and Mint was the one to break the silence. "So," she said. "About this house..."

"Hm?"

"Twenty Gil says we can keep it."

Rue couldn't help but smile. "You're on. Do you want to tell the agent we're done here?"

"Yeah, actually I do. And you should put your people skills to good use, too. I might need your help since we're both gonna be moving in together." He saw her wink out of the corner of his eye, and she turned to the door and walked out of the room.

_I wonder what she's up to? It's impossible to tell with her._ Rue turned his eyes from the view and smiled at the space where Mint had been. _Then again, she is gorgeous and we're both married so- _

Mint poked her head back in. "Are you coming or what?"

Startled, he hurried to the door. "Yeah, I'm coming."

* * *

><p>They returned to the real estate building and told the man working there that they decided to buy the house.<p>

"Since you kids like the property, you can take ownership of it." The agent replied.

"What!" Rue and Mint said in unison.

The older man chuckled. "In my eyes I see a calm, devoted and very receptive lad... and a youthful, spunky young lady. This house is an incredible bargain. You might never find another one in this area for such a low price."

"How much is the seller asking?" inquired Rue, dreading the inevitable decision of the price tag.

The agent's reply took the couple by surprise, so much so that Mint could not contain her excitement at what an exceptionally low cost for such an exquisite house.

He pulled out a deed contract from out of his filing cabinet and placed it on the table before the pair. "Here, please, sign your full names and details on this form and the house is yours."

"Deal," Mint answered. She grabbed a pen from the agent and signed the paper.

Once the form was completely filled out and added to the records, the three of them discussed fee arrangements and stamp duties. The following day, Mint and Rue rented a moving van and shipped their clothes, books, large furniture, personal items and breakables into their new home surrounded by trees.


	3. Chapter II, Part 1: Irreversible Changes

"It takes many nails to build crib, but one screw to fill it." - Confucius

* * *

><p>Chapter II: Irreversible Changes<p>

Friday, 16 June 2017.

It was 9:15 in the morning. The sky overhead was clear, the sun was shining, the birds were singing sweetly... In all it was a very relaxing day, only slightly hampered by the darkening clouds several miles away from the town of Carona. People walked up and down the street, minding their own business, quietly going in and out of the buildings.

Well, almost everybody, at least.

Inside of the town square, a scene like most hadn't seen before was occurring. A man with white hair -wearing a suit composed of earth tones mostly green, brown and gold- was running through the old cobblestone and stainless concrete streets so fast that he practically flew. Shoppers and people passing by watched in amazement as the man darted, slid, and vaulted his way down the road, apologizing to pedestrians as he passed... until he arrived his workplace. His work building did not have a name. Its specialty was publishing newspapers.

Rue currently worked as an advice columnist for the Carona Times newspaper. He was a good man; a kind and gentle soul; he was a skilled fighter, self-taught in how to use a sword.

Most of all, he was a dreamer.

He had been employed at the company for several days now. Ever since his 'Ask Angel' column first went up on print, people started to take notice, and they sent their problems in writing to him. As the amount of letters grew, so did his popularity.

One reason for Rue's success -apart from his fresh-faced boyish allure- was the various behaviors of the problems printed in his daily column. He didn't only provide guidance about interpersonal communication, but also on deep and meaningful issues.

In order for him look the part in personal appearances, his boss gave him a pair of counterfeit specs, some washable blonde dye to disguise his natural hair color, a leather-bound stationary pad for quick notes and even a reference list of consultants -just in case any of his readers required extra help to get through more serious problems.

Mint once asked Rue why he bothered working for a newspaper publishing industry when the task of handwriting notes was rumored to be a dying art. He responded by saying that he simply liked helping people -a trait his readers loved best about him- and that was why he loved coming home to her after a hard day.

When he walked into the lobby of the company's headquarters, he was already five minutes late. He made his way across the empty lobby and into an elevator. After the doors opened on the twelfth floor, he saw Asuna Kyoni, the editor-in-chief, already there talking with her secretary.

Rue tried his best to slip quietly through the corridor to his corner office... but Ms. Kyoni had already caught the glimpse of his simple ponytail in her peripheral vision.

"Ah. Mr. Artema." she said, making Rue jump. "Just the man I want to see."

"Good morning, Ms. Kyoni." Rue greeted. "I'm sorry for not calling in before."

Asuna Kyoni was a refined-looking woman aged in her late-thirties. Her hair fell in rippling waves of black and brown, side-swept over one shoulder and decorated with a pretty hairpin in the shape of a blue flower to match her stylish suit. She had lily-white skin and an oval face like a Japanese doll, with hazel blue-grey-amber eyes that echoed a sense of strength behind her onyx framed glasses.

"You can relax those shoulders, Rue. I'm not fussed that you arrived late this morning; you're usually in ten minutes early. Missing five minutes is nothing. Now let me see what made you late..." She studied his profile for a moment. Then she spoke. "Soap. Clean linen. Jam on toast. Hazelnut tea. You'd be ready and out the door at 8am... if it weren't for your sweet, spicy significant other urging you back to bed for cuddles."

Her words stunned him. Just by perceiving his appearance, she'd recalled what happened to Rue that morning.

"She kind of put me on the spot." He colored slightly. "I couldn't really say no."

"Well, you're here safe and that's what matters. Now smooth your hair down. I can still see that pink kiss mark below your collarbone. Pull in the lapel. Adjust the front. There we go. Now you look ready to face the day. There's a number of letters waiting for you in your mailbox. Once you're done with the replies, send them to me for proofreading. Get to it."

Rue nodded his head in acknowledgment and opened the mailbox attached to his office door. Inside were forty advice seeking letters. He took out the envelopes, put them in a plastic crate and wheeled it to his writing desk. He set the crate down next to his ergonomic seat.

Like his study at home, his work space smelled like a forest. The wooden floor was swept and his desk was tidy with utensils all put away. On one wall were pictures done in crayon and finger paint -gifts from his littlest fans who attended daycare.

Once he had everything organized, he sat at his desk and turned on his laptop. When he looked at the framed and autographed print of a red-haired woman wearing a tasteful outfit on his wall, his eyes momentarily played a trick on him. He thought he'd seen an image of his stunningly attractive wife wearing a men's button-up shirt over a pair of cute panties. He shook his head, blinked his eyes and looked again. Now the photograph showed her wearing a light blue bandage dress and metallic sandals.

_Mint... _It wasn't surprising that his girl came to mind. She was the last thing he'd see at dawn before leaving the house.

"One more thing…" Ms. Kyoni stuck her head in Rue's doorway to see him staring at the pin-up photo. "Ahem!" she cleared her throat, causing Rue to snap out of his daydream.

"Uh, w-what?" Rue spluttered, as the fountain pen in his hand flung out from his fingertips.

"Don't let your thoughts run away with you, pretty-boy." The woman pressed her lips together, as if she were trying to hide a smile, then returned her work room.

Asuna relaxed in her leather chair. It had been less than a month since the day she launched an ad about hiring an advice columnist for her paper. After receiving several phone calls, she interviewed the possible workers. She had an idea of the kind of person she wanted to hire -someone young, sensible and well-groomed who was compassionate towards others. None of the applicants for the job seemed to be what Asuna wanted to see. She might as well be beating the fools off with a stick and let her business get taken over.

Then, while she was walking home on one dark, drizzling night, that was when she saw him.

It was the snowy, white hair that first caught her attention. She turned towards the source of that brilliant hue of white through the misty rain. That man was adorable! He had the kind of face that might one day grace the front of a magazine. His eyes were the color of chocolate, and they seemed to hold a sense of wisdom and experience beyond their years.

She was so moved by this sight that she walked into an unforgiving telephone pole. He rushed to her aid and helped Asuna back on her feet. Asuna took a closer look at this boy that had appeared so suddenly into her life. His voice was gentle and his eyes were warm.

They talked for almost an hour while they waited at a bus shelter for the rain to clear up. From what Asuna had gathered, Rue liked to read, he had previous experience as a farmer, and he knew how to build rapport with people. His hair was neat, his clothes were clean, and -thank heavens!- she was sure she noticed a silver band on Rue's left ring finger. Now Asuna was certain he was everything she had been looking for.

When the editor described the job she was offering, he listened to her every word. She explained that once he agreed to work for her, he would have to keep his private life -and marriage- under wraps. Rue assured her that he had a good reputation and wouldn't want to tarnish it. She handed him her business card and asked him to give her a call in a week to arrange a job interview.

That call came exactly as she foretold, and she took the loyal dog under her wing-since he had no training. She taught him how respond to answer a sample letter, how to write to the right advice recipient, and how to dodge meddlesome questions. Within that one week, she came up with his future pen-name; Angel.

A Nice Guy Everyone Loved.

Rue had to admit that his manager's taste was impeccable. Everything connected with Angel's image suggested politeness and grace. Even his work suits-which had been carefully chosen by Asuna- fit his sincere exterior.

Asuna Kyoni had proved helpful in other ways too. For instance, it was Asuna's idea that Angel should remain hidden from the public eye and all the response letters Rue would send to his readers were signed by the name "Angel".

In return, Rue held a deep respect for Ms. Kyoni; she treated every one of her team members, business colleagues and clients with utmost importance. Even the subordinates respected Asuna for her cool head and strong resolve when the company was hitting hard times. The inside of her left wrist was covered by a big, black 'Libra' glyph, a significant mark which earned her the nickname 'Scales' by her associates.

It was 5:05 in the afternoon when Rue finished his work for the day; he had selected three main letters to be featured in his column, composing a reply for each one with the word-processing program on his notebook laptop. He gave the rough drafts a once-over, deleting or adding a sentence here or there, then emailed the final copies to Asuna to be proofread. The other thirty five envelopes were opened, read-through and answered considerately.

Once he was satisfied with his work, he saved the files, exited the computer program and stuck a memo on his mood board, to remind him they were ready for future articles next week. He spent the remaining ten minutes tidying up.

When it was time to go home he collected his coat and bag, swiping his keycard in the door scanner to indicate he was not in. Pocketing the card, he said goodbye to his fellow collogues and left at fifteen-past-five.

He walked down along the footpath until he reached the zebra-striped crossing at the end of it next to the traffic lights. Suddenly a light sound rang out on his phone, indicating to him that he had received a text message from someone. He retrieved the leaf-green flip phone -with a tiny ornament of a Pollywog monster that Elena had given him- from his trouser pocket.

"To Rue. You're invited to a night of entertainment at Club Vixens. For exclusive 'services', surprise me with a sincere gift to show your appreciation. Love from Princess Cinnamon, your red-haired seductress for tonight, waiting in anticipation for your RSVP. Come at 6pm sharp."

Smiling, Rue sent a response of "I'll be there." when the safe-to-cross signal was still red, and quickly pocketed his phone when the light blinked to green. He was familiar with the burlesque club where his high-minded partner worked as a dancer at night. He always made every effort to watch Mint perform-no matter what obstacle was thrown in his path.

"Rue!" a voice called out, and Rue looked up along the street. Waving from the open window of a big yellow cab was another man a year older than him with ash-coloured hair and grey eyes.

"Good evening, Neil." Rue waved to the approaching car as it slowed to a complete stop.

"Hey, buddy. You wanna come with me to Club Vixen's tonight? There's this super cute dancer performing there. She goes by the name of 'Princess Cinnamon'. She's strong, very beautiful and a real firecracker too. Everyone is talking about her." Neil Cougar, Rue's co-worker, grinned at him. He and Rue had been friends since they first started working together at the same newspaper industry.

"I'd love to go. Can we make a detour past the flower shop? I want to buy her some roses." Rue smiled happily and he told Neil why, as he opened the passenger door and climbed into the back of the taxi.

"... So Princess Cinnamon's real name is 'Mint'. Very fitting." Neil winked.

"You really think that?"

"Sure I do. You're one lucky guy to have a fox like her."

To that he could only smile. Greetings over with, the two of them went on their way. It was always the same, every day since Mint and Rue decided to tie the knot and settle down in this little port city. Rue would wait for Neil's taxi to come, and determined not to make them late, Neal made sure to arrive just as his comrade was leaving work. After rushing out briefly to buy some roses, Rue was happy to stare out of the window as the car moved along to its final destination.

Neil tapped his friend on the shoulder. "Rue, we're here."

Already? Sure enough, they were outside the restaurant where Mint worked part-time as a waitress by day. Behind the brick facility 'Mandola' was another building, one with a black lacquered staircase running up alongside it.

Rue and Neil paid their fare to the driver and climbed out of the cab. The driver thanked them, and wishing the handsome duo a good night, he drove off. The two guys watched him go, then they walked in the direction of the red-velvet club known as 'Vixens'.

* * *

><p>"He's out there in the audience again. I can see that hair of his shining like goddamn starlight."<p>

Mint, carrying two golden rings gripped in her hands and wearing a long, straight orange wig that covered her red hair, ascended the staircase behind the revolving stage, hoping she wouldn't miss a step and take a tumble in front of a full audience.

The curtain opened and the stage slowly rotated, presenting Vixen's famous 'Princess Cinnamon', who was dressed up in a navy corset-like top trimmed with black lace, black-and-blue stockings held up by dark snaps -which disappeared under a sparkly skirt- and a pair of black, kick-ass boots. Fastened around her neck was a blue velvet choker decorated with the symbol of a halo -a heartfelt gift she received on her birthday (twenty-first of April) from her most dedicated patron.

As she smiled and posed on her pedestal, her deep rubies for eyes scanned the crowd for any sign of that one special face. She spotted him leaning back against the windowless wall, watching her in awe and astonishment, and her heart beat faster than the pounding of the drum.

It was hard to believe it had only been over three weeks since Mint was auditioning on the same stage in front of the night club's owner –a dark-haired, dark-eyed woman known as Martha Andou—and the redhead was determined to perform in the cabaret-like shows that were held every Friday night. Dancing was Mint's favorite hobby, thus her fiery attitude and stubborn streak enabled her to gain the job as a dancer, which eventually led to her blossoming fame as the main attraction. She was not too happy to see her old foe Trap Master was working at the same place as her (someone she thought she had destroyed when she was still searching for the Dewprism).

One month ago, Trap Master's spiky red hair, sharp eyes and his silver piercings had somehow caught the attention of George Andou -the man who founded 'Mandola'. The manager was impressed by Narcius's punk demeanor and how it kept the town's ruffians at bay.

Martha thought the idea of having some security stationed around her club was exactly what she needed. She met Narcius outside and mentioned that her husband was quite taken in by his ability of keeping order without doing anything, and since the spikey-haired guy looked and behaved like the type to ward off menacing characters, she gave him the job as a bouncer.

Whenever Mint arrived at Club Vixens to entertain, Narcius was always ready to counter any snide remarks she'd shoot at him before show-time, which would escalate to a bickering match between the two... until they were hauled away in the end, sporting a bloody lip or a black eye.

Martha always caught Mint in the aftermaths of her fights with Narcius and let the spunky younger woman off with a scolding for her bad behavior. But, hey, Mint didn't care. As long as her two jobs paid more than enough money for her to survive on, she was free to be who she wanted, and continue teasing Narcius to get a funny reaction out of him.

Mint finished up her enticing dance act with two amusingly vulgar jokes about a headstrong empress and her passive manservant. She then said her goodnights and sashayed off the stage, listening to the spontaneous roar of applause and chants of "Cinnamon!".

She headed backstage to the club's dressing room. On top of her vanity table was a single piece of candy and a gift bouquet of roses -red ones meant to signify love.

"Flowers and chocolate." she laughed. "Talk about old-fashioned."

She unwrapped the red foil and popped the heart shaped truffle into her mouth.

_Still, he knows how to spoil me_. She paused a moment before swallowing.

Mint dropped into the chair by her mirror, humming a song her mother once taught her before she died. She quickly removed the smoky blue eye shadow, the black cat-flicked eyeliner and bright cherry-red lipstick that she'd been wearing, took off the orange wig and the fake disposable lashes.

"Someone's in a good mood tonight."

"Ack!" Mint almost jumped out of her skin. Her cheeks burning red, she glanced at the slender man standing in the doorway. "T-Tonio!"

Tonio laughed. "Sorry about that. You ok, Mint?" He had brown eyes and dark brown hair centre-parted and cut square at the neck.

The redhead nodded, and her face returned to normal. "Yeah. Never better." She picked at her hair and put it back up into her twin ponytails.

He admired the bouquet on Mint's vanity. "Those are some beautiful roses. Who gave them to you?"

"They're from my unexciting, clean-cut husband."

"Wasn't he the one watching you from the shadows?"

Mint grinned. "The very same. And I save the best sights of me for him last."

At that moment, the lady who ran 'Vixens' walked into the dressing room.

Martha spotted the roses. "My, my! Those flowers do look wonderful, Minty. You are getting quite popular these days. Keep it up and I might have to raise the admissions price!" she winked.

"Martha!" Mint moaned like a disgruntled teenager.

Soon after shedding out of her elaborate costume and back into her regular clothes, she decided to leave early so she can find Rue. She picked up her duffel bag, which contained her wallet, house keys, her flame-red cellular phone with a little Jack-o'-lantern charm hanging from it, lip moisturiser, hairpins, her MP3 player with headphones, one pack of chewing gum, tissues and absorbent pads. With a departing wave to everyone in the club, she went out into the cool night air.

"Dang! Where did he go?" Mint scowled, looking left to right. She was now wearing a fairly tight dark blue T-shirt with the word "queen" in small text on the front; the T-shirt was short enough to bear her midriff, which enjoyed even more exposure with how low the young woman was wearing her blue jeans. A pair of comfortable shoes completed the ensemble; there was no way Mint's usual knee-high boots would have worked with that outfit.

Coming up to an intersection,she was able to see Rue standing with his back to her. She could almost smell his natural scent radiating from him; pine forests, mountains, soft musk and autumn leaves.

"Rue!" Mint yelled down the street. She hurried up to him and threw her arms around his waist from behind. Rue cried out in surprise then quickly calmed down when he realized it was only Mint.

"Geez Mint! Don't scare me like that!" He looked up to see people nearby turn to look at him. "Great… Now everyone's watching us…"

"Forget them." He heard Mint's voice muffle against his back as she linked her fingers together. "I'm with the handsome gentleman who left those roses for Cinnamon at the club. She told me she never expected a cute guy like you to be so sweet."

Rue felt his face burning, it was literally on fire. So she knew the roses were from him! Turning to face Mint, he embraced her warm body with a peacefully serene smile that could outshine the moon itself. The scent of her perfume went straight to his head -sweet roses, water lilies and wild but calm wildflowers. He loved the relaxing effect it had on him.

"So," He began after a minute of ignoring the jealous glares of female onlookers. "Now that my lady has found her gentleman, how about we go have some pizza on our way home?"

Mint's face immediately brightened at the mention of her favorite food. Eyes sparkling, cheeks flushed, she kissed Rue on the lips softly. "It's a date!"

* * *

><p>Dinner was delicious, and later that night they caught a bus towards home, to the white front gate and stone wall that surrounded their surprisingly ordinary-looking lime green house with the surname "Artema" engraved on the nameplate below the doorbell.<p>

Rue and Mint's sanctuary-home, sweet home.

A number of paintings adorned the walls, all of them expensive, and a respective percentage of them were portraits of landscapes. The lounge room now had a moderate selection of books -filled with hardcover novels and other paperbacks. The bookcases were in simple hardwood, the floor covered by a plush carpet. Leather armchairs were nestled beneath the ceiling and a hanging light fixture made of colored glass.

In the family room was a huge, grey velvet corner sofa that doubled as a spare bed, two overstuffed chairs, a coffee table, a well-stocked fireplace, CD rack and a big-screened television. In one corner was a white piano -a gift to Rue from Mint, given shortly after they moved into the sumptuous house.

The dining room, paneled in walnut, had a large table featured as a centerpiece, with enough chairs to seat six to ten people. Table and chairs were baroquely styled and made of gilt-inlaid mahogany (Mint's seat been at the head of the table was the largest, of course, and was the only one with cushioning). The adjacent kitchen had a medium-sized stove, a refrigerator, dishwasher, an oven and a side cabinet that stored elaborately crafted porcelain dishware, silver cutlery and chopsticks.

Mint entered through the front door of her home, kicking off her shoes to don her favorite rabbit slippers. She left her bag in the entryway and moved into the kitchen to place her flowers by the sink. Then she traveled across the hallway into the living room to turn on her game console.

The tv flickered as the machine warmed to life. She reclined back against the downy satin cushions on the couch and put her aching feet up, game controller in hand. As she immersed herself in her game, her husband tended to the flowers in the other room.

Rue knew quite a bit about housekeeping from Claire, and she had taught him everything there was to know. Since Mint didn't know how to cook or clean, it was his responsibility to clean their home and prepare their daily meals. He was no culinary expert, but he _did_ know how to make good food for his loved ones.

As a reward for helping him around the house, he gave Mint the task of stockpiling the bottom shelf of their pantry with special treats. If she refused or kicked up a fuss, well, he'd push back that privilege by five working days.

He unwrapped the roses, fetching some sharp scissors to cut off the ends of the stems at an angle over the sink. Where was he going to put them? Sure enough, he found an open-mouthed vase sitting on a high shelf, and he filled it with fresh water, placing the roses inside. After making some minor adjustments, he carried the new arrangement to set it on the little table in the hall before heading to his room, then opened up his notebook to the spot where he'd left off.

Their bedroom screamed Mr. and Mrs. Artema, comfortably furnished with an East-meets-West taste, all a combination of soft colors and dark wood. Unlike the rest of the house, the walls and ceiling were painted to resemble the night sky, and a three-inch pile carpet in royal red covered the floor. In the middle of the room was a large bed up against a wall, covered with silk sheets and a plush blanket, fluffy feather-stuffed pillows, and silken cushions Mint had directly imported from East Heaven. To the far left of the bed was a big window with a seat below it. A mirrored dressing table with a jewelry box and a fresh vase arrangement of pink flowers sitting on top stood nearby, along with a huge oak chest of drawers, two round nightstands on either side of the queen size bed, each having an oil lamp sitting on them, a computer desk with a PC sitting on top of it, and two identical wooden doors that led to the abundant wardrobe and the white tile bathroom.

Half an hour later he heard Mint let out a loud yawn from downstairs. Feeling tired himself,

Rue shut the book and put it away. He pulled off his clothes until he was down to his thin cotton undershirt and boxers, made a quick trip to the bathroom where he brushed his teeth, and returned to hear footsteps coming up the staircase.

Seconds later, his wife appeared in the room and started preparing for bed. Rue felt his face grow warm as he watched the red-haired woman undress... Her healthy sun-kissed skin gave off a faint shimmer as more and more was exposed.

Mint noticed Rue looking at her as she undid her bra, but did not say anything. _I think I'll tease him a bit. _she thought to herself. She threw her bra on the floor and turned to Rue, who was in the middle of undoing his ponytail.

With her top half exposed for the world to see, she stood in front of her spouse and started to sway her hips side to side, her hands moving up her chest.

"That won't work, Mint." Rue managed to say, while resisting the urge to pounce.

"Aww, really?" she turned around to give him a view of her naked back while lifting one leg slightly. "Not even a little?" she said with a pout, sliding her hands down her incredible curves to her hips. She hooked two fingers into the edge of her briefs to pull the sheer material down off her derrière. "Come on... You have to be a little turned on."

Rue tried to hide the fact that he was indeed turned on, and reminded her, "You're supposed to be in your pajamas, remember?"

Mint sighed, rolling her eyes. "Geez, you're so unromantic. I can hold back too, sometimes." she abandoned her seductive act and slipped her pajamas on; silky purple pants and a short-sleeved purple silk shirt with buttons running down the front. She flicked off the light switch and crawled under the covers of their bed for two.

He jumped into bed after her and scooped Mint up in a bear hug. Mint was taken completely by surprise, and a shriek of laughter escaped her. The adrenaline wore off and she snuggled up to Rue. For the briefest of moments she had forgotten that this extremely nice-looking man was once the same modest and caring mid-teenage boy she fell in love with.

Rue cupped her cheek into his hand and leaned forward to press his lips against hers briefly. Mint kissed back, feeling the kiss break, only to go in for a second one, letting it linger. She closed her eyes, her hands rubbing up and down his solid chest and washboard stomach, hoping to fire up the determined hero inside.

To both of their delight, Rue rolled Mint onto her back. He ran his hands across her body, feeling her heat under the layer of silk. Mint reached for the hem his nightshirt, trying to lift it up. Rue knew what she wanted to do so he broke the kiss, focusing on undressing one another. With their garments off, he resumed kissing Mint, feeling their lean bodies press softly against each other. This time Mint pulled away, moving to lay down on the bed with her companion atop her, her sweet spot moist from her anticipation of what was to come.

He felt it too, growing aroused himself. He moved closer and kissed her sternum, letting the desire out slowly. After a few pecks, she started getting frustrated and her arms wrapped around his head. Rue could smell the pleasing spring-garden fragrance of her body. He felt her grab him, and his heart raced.

Half an hour later, he was pulling the blankets up around them, Mint's pajamas and his nightclothes forgotten in a heap on the floor. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair, the strands smooth and silky between his fingers. Mint cuddled a little closer, pillowing her head on his bare chest. Right now, she just wanted to lie there in Rue's arms... She didn't want to think or move...

They curled up together and drifted off to sleep, secretly wishing their married life could stay this tranquil and carefree forever.

Little did the pair know, Fate had other plans for them.

* * *

><p><em>BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! B—<em>

The sound of the annoying alarm clock stopped instantly when a hand reached up and flicked the switch to the off position. With a yawn, Rue rubbed at his eyes under the dim shades of light coming in through the baby blue curtains. After confirming the time -ten past eight in the morning- he rolled over and closed his eyes shut.

There were some quiet noises inside the en-suite, but Rue decided to ignore them and focus on sleeping. After a minute, he heard a voice shout from within.

"THIS [EXPLETIVE] SUCKS!"

_Mint!?_

He sat up sharply and looked in the direction of Mint's voice. What was Mint doing in the bathroom...? In a swift and sudden movement, Rue got out of bed, grabbed his underwear and out them on, before hurrying to the ensuite of the master bedroom.

"Mint?" He called out. "Is everything alright?"

There was no reply. Rue felt a prickle of fear run down his back. Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed the doorknob and threw the door open. What greeted his eyes wasn't anything he expected to see, and his body was instantly filled with ice.

Mint was standing in front of the toilet, leaning her head close over the bowl.

"Mint!" He rushed forward to Mint and rubbed her back sympathetically. "What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"

"No… I'm... I'm fine. Really." Mint said, shrugging him off. A sudden dizzy spell rocked her world and her knees gave out on her. Before she could hit the tiled floor, Rue caught her just in time.

"You need to rest. We both had a late night so I'm taking you back to bed. Don't worry, I'll carry you." Putting her arms around his neck, he looked at Mint for permission and after receiving a weak nod in reply, he lifted her up off the floor into his arms - with one arm around her back, the other under her legs - and carried his stubborn wife, pajamas, bare feet and all back to their room, handling Mint like a craftsman's best work.

He set the woman down softly on her messy side of the bed. Rue pulled apart the heavy curtains and opened the window to let some fresh air in.

"Is that better?"

Mint opened her eyes, since she had them closed while Rue carried her, and she tried to prop herself up. She looked ill, and sounded even more so.

"A little..." She tried to keep herself balanced on her elbows, but she didn't yet have the energy.

Rue went to Mint's side and gently laid her back on the pillows. "Hey, take it easy. Don't exhaust yourself."

"Oh, quit looking so worried! I'll be good to go in a few minutes, so you better watch out. Ugh… Okay, maybe not..." He nodded, his eyes twinkling, but didn't change his solemn expression.

The two were silent for a few minutes. Rue wondered what the cause of Mint's nausea could be. He knew it wasn't anything she ate that was disagreeing with her.

Mint turning away and looked up at the ceiling, still not saying anything. He kept quiet, not wanting to make her any madder, afraid that if he said anything she'd snap at him.

"There might be one reason why I'm sick…" she said softly.

Rue looked at her curiously. She turned back to him, her face unsure of what emotion to display. He could tell something else was bothering her, that this was no ordinary flu bug.

"Maybe we should go see a doctor about this. Just in case you could be pregnant. Still, we can't jump to conclusions... since I'm not entirely human…" he reminded her sadly.

A sudden gleam of annoyance filled Mint's eyes. "You listen here, Rue. You may have been forged by Valen, but to me you are a living, breathing human being. And besides, you taught me a perfectly good lesson on our wedding night." she chuckled.

"What do you— OH!" Turning slightly pink, Rue stopped speaking when he understood what Mint meant. His blush deepened as he remembered the night's events, when he then became one with her for the first time...

_"Are you ready?" _

_"Yes."_

_"You can open the door now."_

_He compiled, pushing it open. He did not need to turn on any lights in the room; the moon was shining gently through the window, giving everything a blue radiance. Standing before him in the dim light was his new wife Mint._

_"Well?" she blushed and smoothed the fabric of her skirt. "What do you think?" _

_Rue felt his jaw hit the floor. Mint was wearing a coat of chiffon in blue, brown and white. It wrapped around her shoulders, swept down across her midriff, and spilled over her hands, the sleeves wide and loose at the bottom. The coat was worn over a strapless white bra, and held in place by a wide brown belt,__ fitted tightly to accentuate her slim waist. A short__ skirt, also blue with the front parting outward to expose her white lace panties that offered a glimpse of red hair underneath, flowed over her hips and came down to the middle of her thighs, the back a piece that stopped a little past her knees. He __felt the heat rise in his own cheeks when he realized the chiffon was semi transparent. He could see the shape of her slender body beneath it, the curve of her calves, her... _

_"M-Mint?! What are you doing dressed up like that?" He spluttered. _

"_You don't like it?" Her voice sounded disappointed to his ears. "But that crazy witch told me this would help illustrate what I wanted to give you." she cursed under her breath at the slip._

"_You mean this was Fancy Mel's idea?" _

"_Uhhh no! Actually, it was mine! I just couldn't figure out how to... Mel helped me, and..." _

_Mint made a strange noise in her throat as she cleared it. This wasn't going as well as she'd hoped. She felt like running into the bathroom and locking the door, but it was too late to back out now; all she can do was go ahead with the plan. _

_She took a step forward and said the line that Mel had written for her. "I'm your greatest gift, Rue. Aren't you going to unwrap me?" _

_Rue looked at her in dumb shock. A horrible thought came to him. _

_"Mint, I can't... I wasn't expecting... I-I don't have protection!" He could feel himself blushing as he stood there in his wedding suit. __The suit was composed with a pair of long off-white pants with a pattern of gold swirls running up along the outside of each pant leg. A plain green shirt was hidden under a white waistcoat, which had the same gold pattern as the pants. A white jacket topped it all off, the frilly cuffs of the shirt poking out from the jacket sleeves, giving the whole outfit a nice contrast. _

_"It's alright." Mint pulled out something from a hidden pocket and she held up the small object for Rue to see. "Fancy Mel had a hand in this, remember?" _

_Rue didn't move. He didn't breathe. He just stared at Mint, scarcely able to believe it. He felt a little anxious that he would make an aggressive move toward the girl- before Mint had a chance to say she was joking- and ruin everything. _

_So Mint moved for him. _

_The woman, her red bangs hanging into her burgundy eyes, softly padded up to him on bare feet. She wrapped her arms around Rue's neck, leaned up and touched lips to him. Rue was surprised when he was suddenly drawn into the kiss but it felt right. He closed his eyes and focused his entire essence on her lips. They were soft, tasting faintly of cinnamon and ever-growing passion. Her lips began to press more firmly to his and he responded in kind, his arms finding their way to wrap around Mint's body. _

_Mint found herself guiding Rue to the bed, and the two of them collapsed on it. Desire nibbled at her, begging for more, but she didn't want this to go quickly. She was determined to make their first night a memorable one. Her tongue slipped out as her lips part, tracing over his lower lip. _

_Not missing a beat, Rue parted his mouth for her, pressing his face more into his companion's as he got more into the kiss himself. He would be lying if he said he didn't want this, but in the past the idea didn't appeal to him. He certainly enjoyed Mint's company; she made him smile and that was worth a lot when he could be so serious at times. _

_Even now she was making him forget anything serious and just focusing on her._

_Mint broke the kiss after a few long moments, eyes hooded as she panted softly. "God Rue... Want you so bad..." _

_"..." It was like something broke inside him. Rue leaned in and claimed her lips with his own, until they were both breathless. He pressed his body against hers, pushing Mint back into the pillows, straddling her hips. Without breaking the kiss, he undid the clasp of the belt, roughly tugging it out from behind her. _

_A small voice told Rue what he was doing was wrong, screaming at him to STOP. His body froze, eyes widening in panic. __When he realized that he was about to take advantage of Mint, he moved well away from her. Shame burned in his stomach. He couldn't bring himself to look at those pools of red wine. _

_Mint noticed tears welling up in his eyes. __"Rue? What's wrong?" _

"_It's nothing." Rue lied quickly. _

"_That doesn't look like nothing to me." she persisted. "We don't have to do this if you're not cool with it."_

"_N-No! I do want this." _

"_Then why are you crying?" she lifted his chin gently, forcing the man to look at her. _

"_I... I got carried away..." His voice was weak; he could barely get the words out around the constriction in his throat. _

"_Rue, look at me." said Mint sternly. Rue reluctantly dragged his eyes up to meet Mint's. She cupped his face in her hands and rubbed his cheeks, wiping away the tears that dribbled down, before kissing him again, eyes closing. He __was surprised at first by Mint's sudden jump to action, yet somehow he knew what she was doing was okay. He kissed back, pulling Mint even closer to him. _

_Slowly, Mint started working at the buttons on Rue's white jacket. __She'd fiddle with one until it came off, then drop down to the one below. When she had the buttons undone all the way, she stuck her hands inside the jacket and massaged them across the planes of his chest, feeling the muscles under the thin fabric of his shirt. Then she unbuttoned the waistcoat and shirt, peeling them off of Rue, until his smooth skin of white marble was exposed. _

_She ran her fingertips over his hairless chest and the ridges of his abs, tracing the faded scars on Rue's lean, handsome body. The marks that he received in battle all those years ago... She pulled away and smiled up at him, knowing how much happier Rue now felt. __"Feel better?" _

_The man nodded. "I don't feel sad anymore." _

_Mint giggled. "Good." she kissed him on the cheek. "You can put those hands to good use now that your mood's improved." _

_"What do you want me to do?"_

_"Helping me out of these clothes, duh!" she grinned. "I didn't put them on for nothing; I want you to enjoy me." _

_Rue eased into a smile. _

"_As you wish, Princess_." _He moved towards her, ready to take charge - good thing he didn't mind being assertive. _

_Letting his instincts guide him, he moved his hands around her back, his fingers tracing over the clasp on her white bra. Mint turned her attention to the silk blue ribbon weaved in Rue's hair and she gently pulled it out. She just loved running her hands through those white locks, as if to assure herself he was really there. _

_He finally got the small hooks undone, taking off her bra and tossing it aside. At last the bra was gone. Rue moved more slowly, his hands reaching up and under the coat, easing it away from Mint's shoulders... until her soft tan skin was revealed. He could only stare for a moment, a great weight squeezing in his chest. _

_"So beautiful..." _

_She gasped when he put his hands on her waist, sliding them up along her ribcage to cup her small, high breasts. There was lean muscle underneath her curves-the body of a gymnast. She wasn't some weak little girl to be protected and locked away in an ivory tower. She was his partner. His equal. He leaned over her, drawing one firm nipple into his mouth, suckling gently while he reached up to massage the other with quiet and inexperienced fingers. _

_Mint cried out and writhed beneath Rue. Her face flushed a rosy pink, her breath starting to come out in pants. She'd never felt anything like this before. She couldn't move at first, helpless in the quake of new sensations. But she managed to kick out from underneath him, wiggling free from the sleeves of the coat. Sitting up, she began to kiss her way across his chest, her impatient fingers fumbling to unlatch his belt buckle. _

_Her aggressiveness made Rue blush. "Wait. Let me do it." He turned away and hastily stripped himself of his pants before rejoining Mint on the bed. She laughed at his embarrassment. _

_As soon as he was back with her, she looked at him in awe. Bright red eyes roamed over his fair skin, his dark brown eyes and his shining silver hair... Her gaze travelled lower, and the redhead felt her cheeks flush when she noticed a prominent bump in Rue's boxer shorts. There was a strange thrill in knowing she had caused that; he was aroused by her. Mint reached down and gingerly touched the area that concealed his excitement from the world, smiling lovingly into his eyes. "For me?"_

_Rue barely had time to nod in answer when she kissed him hard, working her mouth against his. He resumed touching and caressing her modest breasts. Moaning softly, Mint let her head fall back as those hands made her want to melt. _

_So lost in this pleasure, she didn't notice a hand wandering down her front. When it reached the top of her skirt, she arched her back slightly. A little lower, Rue..._

_Encouraged, Rue's hand slipped under the edge of her skirt and he started stroking her panties with his fingertips, while his tongue lapped at the sensitive pink bud. She threaded her fingers through his long hair, hugging him close. Rue didn't mind. He continued to lick and rub, rub and lick, until Mint was panting hard and squirming on the bed. _

_"Ah!" He pulled his hand away, as if burned. "I-I'm sorry. Was I going too fast? Was I doing it wrong? I didn't mean to-" _

_Now it was Mint's turn to be unsure of how to react. Here was Rue -sweet, perfect, pure Rue- actually getting flustered and asking her if he was... bad? _

_She silenced him with a finger pressed to his lips. "No sweetie. That felt good. _Too _good." _

_For a moment, he looked at her with a blank face... then the realization of what she meant hit him. "Oh." _

_Mint soon realized that she was just as nervous as he was. She began wonder if he could tell she had no idea what she was doing. Her only guidelines were half-remembered comments from her chambermaids back home. Now that she was here it was nothing like that. She couldn't keep a steady thought in her head. All she knew was that she wanted to please the person who loved her back. _

_Her hands reached for those black boxers on Rue and pulled them down, revealing his most intimate part of him. _

_Mint's eyes widened. "Wow..." It was bigger then she expected, as she removed her skirt. "How can you handle having that in your pants all this time?" she wrapped her fingers around the shaft, gently touching the seven inch long organ in her hand. _

_Rue gasped sharply, his hips buckling. "I-I just... made sure to wait till we were ready and... ahhh..."_

_With surprising calmness, Mint let go of his manhood and tugged off her panties, leaving her legs completely bare. She pulled the ties out of her hair, letting the pinkish-red locks fall down her back. She lay down against the sheets, spreading her slender thighs and giving him a clear view of her uncovered privates. _

_"You want to take me now?"  
><em>

_He couldn't help but find the display rather erotic. "Y-Yes." His hands reached for the small foil packet that had been tossed onto the bed and opened it carefully. He rolled the condom down over his erection, reminding himself there was no need to hurry, no need to rush... Mint, on the other hand, kept distracting Rue with coaxing kisses on his skin, and running her hands up along his back. _

_Neither of them knew exactly what they were doing as he knelt across from her, so their movements were awkward, like baby steps to bliss. Rue ran his hands over Mint's hips -touching skin he'd never even let himself think about before- pulling her closer to him. Mint angled up her hips, rising a little so she caressed the underside of his penis with her slit. _

_As she teased him, Rue let out a little moan. When she reached down to guide the tip to her wet entrance, however, his body seemed to move on its own. With his hands still tight on her hips, he pushed down as he eased his way up inside of her. It felt so snug and warm. _

_Mint gritted her teeth, tears in the corners of her lashes. Her hands were tight at his shoulders, every muscle in her slim body tense, and her eyes were firmly closed. Rue's chest constricted. He had forgotten that this was painful to her. _

"_Oh Mint..." He said miserably. "I'm-"_

_Mint shook her head sharply, keeping her eyes screwed shut. "No! Don't you dare apologize. I-It'll be better in a minute." she almost whispered. "Just... don't move." _

"_Shh... be still." Rue breathed, leaning down and kissing most of her tears away. "I'll wait with you until it stops hurting, okay? Don't cry." _

_There was s sniffle. "...Thanks..."_

_So they stayed locked in that embrace, not moving as Mint waited for the sharp pain to fade, waited to adjust to the feel of him inside her. Rue massaged her tense shoulders, whispered soothing words against her ear. He wished there was something he could do, feeling horrible that he was the one causing her this pain. He never wanted to see her suffer... _

_Mint shivered against him. The stinging, nettle sensation was fading faster now, melting into new pleasures. She twined her arms around Rue. "Ahhh... Now that's more like it." Her breath came out in a happy sigh. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "You can start moving now," she accompanied the words with a roll of her hips._

_Closing his eyes, he began to move, pulling out almost all the way then sliding in again. _

_Their movements started out gently in soft, small motions. Rue wanted to make this last, taking it slowly. He was certain that it was better slow, though it was difficult not to lose himself in ecstasy so intense that it bordered on pain. Before long he soon got the hang of being the one in control -moving at a comfortable rhythm- and gradually increased his pace. Each stroke brought out a fresh gasp or soft cry from Mint, driving him to make love to her faster and harder. _

_Mint moaned deeply, their hips meeting with every thrust. "R-right there... So deep... Keep going!" She closed her eyes and focused on the movement, on the connection between the two of them. _

_His heavy breaths tingled her bare skin, matching the same rhythm as hers. She tightened her grip around his shoulders, nearly drawing lines into the smooth flesh. _

_Finally, Rue couldn't take it any longer. He cradled Mint's lower back in his arms and he moved them both down to the mattress. Smooth-looking fiery __hair spread out around her head like flames that were alive, her soft pink lips glistening from kisses. Their eyes locked, and inside hers he saw passion and need. This vision was more than Rue can take__. He drew Mint close and kissed her passionately, tasting every little thing he could have ever desired and more. He didn't care that she wasn't as... full as most her age. At least she had the chest and hips to grant her some curves. _

_And he wasn't about to stop rocking into her now. Not when Mint was encouraging him to give it his all. _

_Mint shifted her hips up to meet him. She knew there was something... just out of her reach. The anticipation felt as great as the warm, loving hardness massaging her insides. Then Rue pushed up against her again -and she was there! _

_Arching her back, she cried out his name as her fingernails dig into him, and she could feel her surroundings fade away. She clamped down hard around his length, allowing her white-haired angel to memorize the feel of her damp heat. The sudden contraction pushed Rue over the edge, and he too fell into release._

_His climax soon passed on, as quickly as it came, and he was left sweating and out of breath. He gazed down at his goddess in her afterglow. _

_Mint smiled sweetly up at him, eyes twinkling. "Geez Rue! I didn't think you had it in you!" she was still panting but not as much. _

_Rue agreed with a tender smile of accomplishment. "Honestly, neither did I." he said, catching his breath. _

_She cackled. "And all I showed you was a sexy outfit."_

_He leaned forward, giving her little mouth a brush. Slowly, they parted, and he looked at his beloved with heavy-lidded eyes. "Oh, I think you showed me more than that." They knew the last barriers had been broken down between them. He was dizzy by her beauty and her scent, and she was nearly weak with the feel of him against her. The awkwardness was gone. "You really are amazing. If you want to do this more often from now on, I promise to let you take the lead. I love you."_

_The redhead grinned. "Love you too, doll boy. With that kind of stamina you can take me anytime you want." It was a promise. Mint snuggled into the bedsheets, cradling Rue's head against her heart and closing her eyes. Their hair intertwined, much like their spent bodies. They were soon fast asleep, feeling more at peace then they ever had in their lives. _

_And outside, even the heavens were cheering for them. _

"I never thought you had the backbone to tame a wild thing like me."

The sound of Mint's voice snapped Rue out of his slight daze, him pushing away the past and focusing solely on the now.

"It's all thanks to you spurring me on."

The conversation was cut short when Mint covered her mouth with her hand, startling Rue. She glanced to where a certain green hat (with its missing yellow ribbon) was sitting on the nightstand beside the lavish bed.

Rue followed her gaze and the color drained from his face.

"Honey _no_! Not in my hat!" Too late; Mint bolted up from the bed, immediately grabbing his hat and she vomited into it. She returned it to the table, stretched and lay back against the mattress.

He let out a wistful sigh. _I can't believe she did that…_ Claire had made that hat specially for him, and now it was filled with Mint's lost early-morning snack. He decided to accept the mess as an unfortunate accident.

"So, hey, are you going to go or what? I thought I was supposed to rest."

Rue turned slightly pink and apologized, taking a step back. "I'm sorry, Mint. I'll go now." She watched him pick his hat up and walk towards the door. He turned right before he walked out, smiling just slightly. "I'll bring you a glass of water and a bowl of fruit salad in case you're hungry. Are you happy to have that for breakfast?"

Mint nodded her approval and realized that she was tired. Fighting every impulse to sleep, she heard the door close and stared after Rue, secretly grateful that he was looking out for her, before her heavy eyelids got the best of her and she drifted back to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Mint's not feeling well?"<p>

"No Mira. Rue called and told me she's taking it very hard. That girl has the biggest stubborn streak I've ever seen. A stomach ache wouldn't get her feeling so down... though sounds to me like they're not coming to the picnic, after all."

Mira sighed and shook her head. She knew Mint was tough, so they hadn't expected her not to come along on their outing. A few minutes ago they'd called to ask if Mint and Rue wanted to go on a picnic with Elena and Prima at the park, then they heard from Rue that the usual hyperactive and brave Mint was feeling queasy, and everyone was starting to worry. They also were worrying about Rue: he'd been checking up on Mint's health since he found out she was unwell, and it was clear he felt responsible for not watching over her properly.

"He shouldn't blame himself." Mira shook her head again and the two looked at each other sadly.

* * *

><p>Rue finished filling up a round bowl of the chopped strawberries, banana, kiwifruit and apple he prepared in the kitchen for Mint's breakfast. When he was done, he brought out a serving tray and set the bowl of diced fruit and a glass of water on it, then left the room carrying the tray. He was still worried that Mint wasn't well enough to get up, and knew she'd try all too soon, but she had wanted him to leave so he did. In fact, he hadn't really minded watching over her; she was much more pleasant when she was asleep, and he didn't have to worry about what he said around her.<p>

_She's like a walking timebomb. _

He can never be too sure with Mint because she was so unpredictable; one moment she's happy and outgoing, then bad-tempered and infiltrating the next. Even though she acted rude and obnoxious to everyone on the start of their adventures, he knew deep, _deep_ down she was a nice person. He sighed and decided to stop worrying about Mint, but why couldn't he?

He headed up the staircase to his bedroom. When he walked in, he saw Mint sitting at the window in her deep azure kimono robe, looking out at the sunrise. The sky was a vivid orange, with hues of pinks and purples mixed in.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" He asked her, setting the tray down next to the bed and sat in his chair.

"I was growing bored of lying around. Can't we go take a walk somewhere? I'm sick of bolting to the toilet and feeling like crap." Mint huffed, getting up to sit on the edge of the bed. She looked at the yummy-looking fruit salad Rue had prepared for her. "Hey, did you… Is that for me?"

"Yes, I made it for you." Rue noticed she was staring dejectedly at her breakfast. "What's the matter?"

"I can't eat anything; I'll only hurl it back up again…" Mint took a sip of the water.

Rue's face clouded slightly.

"Sweetheart, you need to eat something. I'm not going to let my Queen's energy waste away."

Mint exhaled in frustration. "Alright! I'll eat your salad! Only cuz you addressed me as _your_ queen." she took the bowl as the blushing doll passed it to her, and stuck a spoonful of the fruit in her mouth. "Wow, this is good!"

Rue looked at Mint thoughtfully before he picked up the cordless phone on her round bedside table to dial the number for the medical center nearby to book an appointment.


	4. Chapter II, Part 2: News

"A woman experiencing an unplanned pregnancy also deserves to experience unplanned joy." - Patricia Heaton

* * *

><p>Chapter II, Part 2: News<p>

"I want to go back home right now!"

"I told you, we need to find out why your vomiting hasn't stopped." Rue had been trying to explain that he and everyone else had been worried about her; he was also certain that if the doctor hadn't found the cause of her illness, she'd be just as angry.

"Whatever... Might as well get this over with." Mint retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. She slouched back in her chair, looking at the health posters on the walls of the waiting room. Her eyes found a very pregnant woman sitting in a seat at the far corner of the room. Mint muffled an abrupt yelp. That could be her in a few months time!

Rue noticed his wife's anxiety right away (despite her best efforts to hide it) and he quickly grabbed hold of her small hand, intertwining their fingers.

"Everything's going to be alright. You'll see."

"Mint Artema?" The doctor called as he entered the waiting room. "Right this way, please."

Mint looked at her husband imploringly, only to be irritated when he kissed the back of her palm, with a look that said 'I'll be right behind you'. Scowling, she allowed herself to be led out of her chair and they followed the older man to the examination room, which was empty except for a reclining seat, two padded chairs, a desk, an exam bed and a metal cabinet that held the tools for Dr. Markus's trade.

The doctor, Markus, introduced himself and offered for them to take a seat. He asked Mint a series of questions about her symptoms, when her last menstrual cycle started -May 14, lasting for seven days- or if she'd been feeling extreme fatigue or getting dizzy spells. His questions were met with honest, straightforward answers.

Next, he checked her blood pressure, pulse, weight and temperature. He then told them that Mint might need to take a blood pregnancy test, to rule out the possibility that she was expecting.

Dr Markus walked over to the metal cabinet, unlocked the top drawer and removed a hypodermic needle with a plastic vacuum tube. As he washed his hands, put on some gloves and prepared the syringe, Mint began to feel a bit unsettled.

"This is a fine clinic you have here, doc."

"Thank you, Mint."

"If you don't mind me asking, what's with the needle?" she asked anxiously.

Markus smiled compassionately at the younger woman. Many patients became nervous at this juncture. The doctor knew that if he spoke to them in a calm, soothing voice the uneasiness would soon pass.

"I'm going to stick this needle into a vein in your arm and draw out a small amount of blood. Once the blood sample has been taken, the vial will be sent off to a laboratory to be tested. This test is to check if there's any Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in your blood." He explained and proceeded to wrap a rubber hose around his patient's upper arm. "The presence of this hCG hormone will determine whether you're pregnant or not."

"Does that mean I have to grit my teeth and bear it?" Mint asked as Markus swabbed her arm with a cotton ball.

"I'm afraid so. These initial tests are highly important, though. They can detect any possible diseases, keep track of your hormone levels, and they monitor how the baby is growing in your womb."

"So I guess having my blood scanned is a good thing, after all." The redhead said, as she relaxed in the chair, waiting for the doctor to administer the shot.

"You're quite right, Mint. Why if you didn't have a blood test, you might have these things and not even know it."

"Ow! [Expletive]!" Mint felt a sharp prick in the top of her forearm, followed by a slight burning sensation. But these small irritations passed quickly; Rue figured a good way to distract Mint from the procedure was by letting her hold his hand.

His quick thinking gave the doctor enough time to draw out the plunger until the tube was full then gently remove the needle while Mint's thoughts were occupied.

~0~

"The results of your physical examination and blood test have come in," Dr Markus announced when Mint took the patient's chair opposite the physician's large mahogany desk. "You're four weeks pregnant."

Mint's pulse quickened.

"WHAT?!" A flock of birds suddenly decided to take flight from their perch on the window ledge and thunder rumbled ominously in the distance. If looks could kill, Dr Markus would have been a pile of ash by now.

"What do you mean I'm pregnant?" Mint ground out, glaring at the doctor. The man was unfazed.

"I mean, you're going to have a baby. Sperm finds egg, they fertilize. I don't think the results are showing any negative signs."

"But we always use protection every time!"

"I'm not saying either of you are negligent. However, it is still possible for the condom to tear or slip off during intercourse. Perhaps the two of you were simply "lost in the moment" when Rue unknowingly released his seed into your uterus."

Mint pulled a face in disgust.

"Please don't mind her." Rue told Dr Markus. "What should we do about her morning sickness?"

"You needn't worry, Mr. Artema. The queasiness usually goes away by the end of the first trimester, which is around... eight weeks from now. What your wife can do in the meantime is eat plenty of healthy food, stay active, drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration, and get lots of rest. She can do what she normally does, as long as she avoids any vigorous activities that can endanger the baby." Dr Markus turned to Mint. "You mustn't put your body under any stress otherwise it can impact on the child."

"Stress? Hah! You just said I can keep living like normal!"

"So I did. That is why I'm leaving your husband in charge of your new medication. These are for you to take." He scribbled something on his prescription pad, tearing the top page out and passed it into the woman's hand.

Mint's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed dangerously. "Folic acid, prenatal vitamins, crystallized ginger... and a bottle of anger-soothing drops." she said flatly. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"No. The folic acid and the vitamins are for the baby. The ginger cubes are for your stomach. The drops are designed to promote calmness and balance emotions. Do you know what that means?"

"You mean..."

"Yes. They're meant to tame your emotional outbursts."

"[Expletive] [expletive] [expletive] [expletive] [expletive]!" Mint said eloquently. Rue and Dr Markus were engaged in idle conversation about some issue and Mint found it difficult to restrain herself from hitting her partner, or blasting him with some magic, or jump kicking him, or-

"... Thank you for taking the time to see us, Doctor. I'll make sure to keep a record for when she takes the medication..."

She looked at Rue. He seriously wasn't going to go through with this, was he!? She looked dejectedly at the two faces and suddenly became adamant. "Alright, I'll take it." she said.

_Tee-hee! They're so easy to fool! Once we leave the clinic, I'll just toss the bogus paper in the garbage bin!_

"I hope you're not thinking about throwing that prescription away, Mint. We'll be going to the pharmacy after this to pick up everything on that list. That includes your new happy drops."

Mint cupped her mouth in shock. That's so unfair! Forcing her to do something she didn't want to. No problem though, after all, she was the most powerful sorceress in all of East Heaven, she recalled her father saying. If she could take out Valen, she could handle a bit of herbal therapy too!

"Of course, Mint. Why would you even think that?" Rue replied with a shake of his head and a grin. Mint thought with a start: Doll-Boy was really starting to rub off on her.

"This sucks…" she moaned to herself as they left the pharmacy arm-in-arm. She peered at the paper bag in her clenched fist. "I don't need these drops. I'm perfectly fine without them!"

"You still have to take them. Doctor's orders." Rue told her. "At least we know why you were feeling out of sorts. We'll be having a little prince or princess to take care of."

"Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm still not sure if I want it."

"You'll have to make a decision soon. Raising a child can cost a lot of money -diapers, bottles, clothes, nursery furniture and everything it needs. We do have quite a bit of cash under our belts..."

He heard her mutter something uncivilized under her breath, and he chose to ignore it.

"Look, Mint. You're not a spoiled little princess anymore; you're my other half _and_ an adult. It might be nice to have a mini combo of us with my heart and your brain." Rue saw a tiny blush stain her cheeks. "And if you do decide to keep the baby, I'll be here supporting you every step of the way."

"I... haven't made the best decisions." Mint stopped in her tracks as the memory of lavishing in East Heaven's palace where she had lived came to her. She shook her head and smiled. "I think what you're saying makes sense. I'll listen to you -for now- until I can get into the swing of things."

Rue chuckled and took her in his arms. "Now that that's settled, it looks like we'll be going through a nesting period soon. We've still got eight more months to prepare."

She nodded. "How are we going explain to the world about this pea in the pod?" she indicated to her stomach.

"It might be wise to wait a bit before we tell anyone you're expecting." he told her.

Mint scoffed at him.

"So what? You're the guy who you got me this way so I don't see any problem." she slipped out of his grasp, walking away.

A small frown crossed Rue's face. "And what if you miscarry?"

Mint bit her lip softly in thought, then turned to face the doll. "I won't miscarry." It may have seemed sudden, but when it came to split-second decisions or impulses, she was queen. She smiled brightly. "I have you." She was aware she was asking Rue to take responsibility as her one and only, but hey, that was the gist of it.

Rue stared at those crimson, almond-shaped eyes, the windows to Mint's soul reflecting the colors of joy and courage. The color of the sun.

He warmed up to her. "That's true."

"Of course." she assured him, flicking her hair. "How's this for an awesome idea; we invite everybody to our place for a little dinner party next Saturday, then after we finished the main meal, I'll announce our baby news."

Rue stiffened slightly. _Break the news to everyone over dinner? Is that even possible?_

"I suppose if I started thinking about recipes a week early," He said cautiously. "Then it might work." Mint clapped her hands and spun about on the spot.

"Alright! Let's get moving!"

Saturday, 24 June 2017.

_I can't believe he's expecting me to eat this_...

Mint poked her fork at the plate of steamed white rice, diced carrot pieces, corn and green peas in front of her. For the past hour, her stomach felt like it'd been jellied, but it was hardening nicely and was almost back to normal now. Attempting to be a bit daring, she tried eating a second helping of Rue's nice meat and vegetable stew, and found she had to puke in the toilet-_again_.

From her rightful place at the head of the dinner table, she stopped shooting daggers at the abomination that was her new main course -lovingly prepared by her husband for safe digestion- and looked up at everyone's faces in the dining room.

Mint and Rue invited everyone to their house to celebrate the move, as planned. They always enjoyed every opportunity to see their old friends again after everything they'd been through, all the adventures they had together. But they were especially looking forward to sharing their news about Mint's unexpected pregnancy in person.

Professor Klaus Adler and his wife Mira looked older now, medium brown and dark pink hair been flecked with grey. Their daughter Elena had aged beautifully over the years with a more feminine figure, her candy-pink hair held away from her face by two barrette clips. She was in her purple sleeveless turtleneck sweater -over which a simple white cross dangled from her neck- a chequered blue skirt, short white bloomers and brown boots. Her baby blue eyes had not lost their usual cheery shine. Prima Doll had grown taller and his golden hair was longer now but he was still hyperactive.

Belle and Duke, the second guests to arrive, were present for the dinner. The only thing that had changed about the treasure hunters was the signature goggles that Duke usually wore under his blue hair were gone, and Belle now wore a wedding ring.

Rue's adopted older sister Claire and his younger brother Ruenis were also invited to the party. Ruenis had the same unusual silver-white hair like Rue, and he wore a blue-and-white bandana to cover up the diamond-shaped sapphire on his forehead. Unlike his older sibling who wore an improvised version of a bandanna in public. Rod the Bladestar, the ninth guest to arrive, made a surprise appearance by turning up in his "baby"; a large, red custom-made SUV.

The only person who was missing from group was Fancy Mel, who had mysteriously disappeared from the happy gathering "to run an errand".

Mint's eyes soon caught the encouraging look Rue sent in her direction from across the table.

Time to drop the bombshell.

Taking that as her cue, the pigtailed young woman rose from her seat and prepared her best speech-giving skills (sadly lacking compared to her sister's) and began with saying, "Hey there, everyone! Thank you all so much for coming here tonight. And no, it's wasn't only for Rue's cooking."

"You'll have to thank Claire for that. She's the one who taught him." Ruenis said, earning a "Ruenis, shush!" from Claire and a bashful smile from Rue.

The whole room laughed and when everyone turned their heads to face their hostess again, Mint flicked one pigtail over her shoulder. "Now before we have dessert, I have an important announcement to make~! "

"Let me guess; you finally gave up your dream of world conquest?" Belle interrupted, smirking.

Mint slammed one clenched fist on the table. "No, you old bag! And for your information that dream is now on hold for nine [expletive] months!"

"Mint, don't swear. We have company. And you're supposed to be setting a good example for the you-know-what." Rue scolded, interrupting in time before the two could exchange blows. He had tried, through the years they had known each other, to make the tomboy princess a better, kinder person... but the lessons were having a hard time sticking.

"But I don't see why I have to be a positive role model when the job comes with [expletive] hormonal changes!" Mint stomped her foot against the floor a few times, and everyone in the room noticed the golden rings on the wall beside her had begun to hum with increasing intensity as her anger rose.

"What's the matter, Mint? Are you tired of constantly PMSing?" Belle asked with a sneer.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"

"Mint!" Rue actually yelled this time, such a rare thing that it stopped the red-haired woman's tantrum.

Cringing at the glare Rue was giving her, Mint took a deep breath and shook her head. "Alright, I'm fine. I'm fine. You can take over from here, Rue; it looks like this is harder to explain than I thought."

"Actually, Mint, I feel that I am obligated to help you out." The reply startled Mint, the former diplomat giving the doll a confused look. Turning to glance at the green-eyed woman with long aquamarine hair flowing behind her, he explained, "Mint's been feeling sick lately, so it might not be a good idea to stir her up. Please understand." When he saw Belle give him an unenthusiastic thumbs-up sign, he turned to address the whole room. "And a few people here might know why she's feeling delicate."

The young man looked at the faces of a surprised Belle and Duke, a bemused Prima Doll, a smirking Rod, a giggling Claire, and the knowing looks from Mira and Klaus. Elena had clasped her hands for a moment, cocking her head to the side in bemusement.

Rue left the table, came to the side of Mint's seat and leaned down to lay one careful hand on her tummy. Mint blushed beet red at his touch through her billowing tunic top paired with loose pants and a thin, jeweled crown of flowers atop her head. She didn't mind it; she knew the baby growing inside her was the result of her love for Rue.

"There's going to be another little person living under our roof." He stated in his pleasant tone, russet eyes glowing with pride.

"Are you guys serious!?" Prima Doll blurted out, looking at the pair.

Everyone turned expectantly to Mint, who now looked very flustered. She pushed a strand of pinkish-red hair back. "It's true. I'm already five weeks along." she told them.

A stunned silence descended upon the room as the group absorbed this new information. It was so quiet that you can hear a pin drop... until Elena broke the silence with a high-pitched squeal.

"Rue's going to be a DADDY!" she chirped, running to the young man then grappled onto him in a tight hug. Prima Doll followed suit, letting out a happy "Yay!", and throwing his arms around the startled Rue.

"Hey! Where's _my_ hug? I'm the one having this baby, y'know!" Mint was disappointed and annoyed that she didn't get any hugs from them.

Prima looked at her, said "Good for you, Mint!", then went back to squeezing Rue. The redhead pulled a face at him in response.

"That's wonderful news, Rue." Klaus complimented, patting the kind-hearted man on the back. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Rue smiled back at the archeologist.

"Speaking of which," began Belle mischievously. "When did a virtuous guy like you and a devilish brat like Mint produce the pitter-patter of little feet?"

Rue's face turned a spectacular shade of red. Mint, meanwhile, started having a severe coughing fit.

"Um, Mint? Are you going to be okay?" asked Elena in genuine concern.

"Yeah. I think so." she replied weakly.

"When are you due?" Mira asked Mint kindly.

"Are you hoping for a daughter or a son?" Claire giggled.

"Don't forget baby names! What are you going to call it?" Duke piped in.

"Our doctor told us the baby might arrive in February next year. It's about the size of a sesame seed -still too early to find out if it's a boy or a girl." Mint looked over at Rue. "We want to keep the baby's sex a surprise."

"We haven't made any real plans about names yet." Rue added as an afterthought.

The night passed by slowly. While the guests debated on the gender of the new addition to the Artema household, their simple host ate his share of butter cream cake in silence, listening to snippets of conversation from people.

"I hope it's a girl. Then I can dress her up in pretty bows and frills!"

"_Ew_! I am _not _putting my kid in some frilly-as-hell dress!"

"Something on your mind, _Daddy_?" Rod pulled up a chair next to Rue. He wore just a black fedora hat, a leather jacket with sleeves, pants, but no shirt. The guitar case he carried over his shoulder offset the casual look.

"I still can't believe I'm going to be a father."

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"No! I'm not."

"Then what's there to worry about?" The boisterous red-haired man replied, a wide grin dominating his face. He reached a hand down to pat the fully-grown, black-and-white dog sitting obediently and panting happily at his side, whose name was Johnny Wolf. "Listen, Rue. I know you're going to make_ great_ dad. Just think; who wouldn't want you teaching them to walk and talk? That kid of yours is going feel so lucky knowing you're watching over them."

The thought made Rue smile. "I'll do my best."

"That's the spirit." Rod cast his gaze to Duke and held out an open hand. "Well, Duke, I told you Mint was going through a great expectancy. Looks like I won the bet. Now cough up."

Crestfallen, Duke pulled out his wallet and placed the money in Rod's palm.

"Does anyone get the feeling like something's a bit off?" Everyone turned to look at Prima Doll. "I know Rue loves Mint very much, but she's the one who has him at her beck and call. So it clearly isn't his fault she got herself knocked up." He sniggered.

A mad blush rushed into Mint's cheeks at his comment, her teeth grinding in anger. _They're only words, Mint. Stay calm, cool, collected… Paint the very picture of an unflappable [expletive] Queen..._ The red-haired sorceress concentrated briefly, her psyche-strong link with Rue giving her all she desired for now: the feel of his hands, their weight comfortable on her shoulders. Rue had sensed her temper flaring up and moved in haste to the back of Mint's seat to smooth her ruffled feathers.

The younger boy shrugged and flashed Mint a crazed smile, causing Mint to raise her hackles once again.

"Mint, if you wanted Rue to keep you satisfied on your honeymoon, all you had to do was point him in the right direction- AHH!" He screamed and ran out from the dining room when Mint snatched up her old melee rings.

"_I'll show you direction, you little dweeb_!" she roared loudly, as she started charging after Prima Doll. He made a run for it.

The whole room sighed as every occupant (except for the bright and ditzy Elena) had the same thought in their minds, especially Rue.

Helping Mint get through these next eight months was_ not_ going to be easy.


	5. Chapter III: A suprising Betrayal

Chapter III: A Surprising Betrayal

Tuesday, 18 July 2017.

"Ahhhhh..." Mint sighed lazily, enjoying the hot water of the shower running down her nude body in rivulets. She had only been in the black shorts and running hoodie that she picked out to wear for her early morning jog before she ended up tossing the clothes into the laundry basket after returning home, and spent the last six minutes getting clean.

_That jog sure was fun, but nothing beats just relaxing like this. _she thought as she rinsed off the soft pink bubbles of her body wash.

Mint was ten weeks pregnant now and she had learned not to fight the hormone changes that were happening to her trim and toned figure. Her slender build still looked the same, except her small chest had gone up one bra size. Her uterus had gotten bigger too, filling up the large part of her pelvic space, making her lower abdomen look thicker. Despite feeling drained of her energy on some days, she knew this can be cured with an early night to bed or a nap.

Rue gave her a helping hand by marking down all prenatal appointments, bills, birthdays and other important dates on their calendar, to make sure neither he nor she ever forgets them. He padded every corner and sharp edge of their furniture, he made extra meals to keep in the freezer for Mint -in case he was held up at work- and he accompanied his wife to her prenatal visits at Dr. Markus's office.

After a complete examination, the physician told them that Mint was making good progress through her first trimester. Mint casually asked the doctor if it was okay to jump-kick Rue for the doting _hell_ he put her through. Dr. Marcus looked at the young woman with suspicion and asked her if she was skipping doses.

After the appointment, he updated Mint's pregnancy to-do list; keep up with the drops, start pelvic floor exercises, research on nursery equipment, indulge in some stylish maternity clothes, and consider purchasing body-support pillows of her choice.

Mint turned the taps and shut off the water. Sliding open the frameless glass door, she stepped out of the shower enclosure onto the slip-resistant bath mat. She pulled her large bath towel from a heated rail and dried herself quickly. She then put on her bra and a fresh set of panties, slipped her silver ruby wedding ring on her left hand, and exited the bathroom.

She returned to the bedroom and opened the armoire, leaving the doors wide open as she thumbed through the garments within. On one side, Rue's suits, shirts, trousers and sweaters neatly hung from wooden hangers. On the other side were women's clothes-preferably Mint's.

Her side was big and luxurious, with red carpeting, marble floors, and a rolling ladder crafted out of cherry wood. Lighting was provided by a chandelier on the ceiling and a handful of dimmer lights along the walls, illuminating the array of tops, skirts, pants and dresses. A number of shoes and boots were lined up on the floor and on the upper shelves were bags and purses.

"No. No. What's my satin nightie doing in there? Oh well... I'll save that one for Rue maybe later. N- A-ha!" she grabbed a purple belly shirt, some white cut-off denim shorts, and a set of white sandals decorated with 'flying' purple butterflies. Mint brushed out her hair and put it up into her pigtails, adding a pair of matching purple butterfly hairclips.

Quickly she painted her fingernails, cleaned her teeth, applied a dash of lip balm to her lips, and dabbed perfume behind her ears before marching downstairs to the dining room, a positive grin on her face as usual.

"Good morning!"

"Good morning." Rue was busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen, still in his bedclothes (a loose T-shirt and light-green shorts) and wearing an apron tied around his waist. "How was your jog?"

"It was so-so. What's on the menu?"

"Pancakes with lemon juice. I found the recipe in a magazine. It said you can use healthier versions of the original ingredients. I thought about giving it a try. They should be almost done."

"Can't wait." Mint crossed the threshold and opened the pantry cupboard to fix herself some cereal. No sooner did she open the double doors, she saw her great big box of sugar-coated puffs was _not_ on the bottom shelf. The space had been thoroughly cleaned out and restocked with healthy stuff in the time she was out of the house.

"What did you do with all the snacks I had in the pantry?" she demanded to know.

"I put them in a special place where you can't get to them. Honestly, Mint, I'm surprised at you... And to think you promised our doctor that you wouldn't gorge on those foods." Rue responded in a calm but serious tone, regardless of Mint's noisy entrance.

Mint felt her jaw drop open. She stared at Rue. Neither of them spoke for a very long time.

"You _what_!?" The redhead exclaimed loudly. "So you're saying I'm _still_ not allowed to eat any junk food? _That is not cool_!"

He ignored the seething look on his wife's face. Rue was more then used to Mint's temper; she'd become more irritable due to her escalating mood swings. But on the other hand, Mint did understand that a child's health depended on the health of its mother, too, and was remembering to keep up the exercise while expecting, because she wanted their little beansprout to get her brains and brawn.

Rue's ponytail swayed behind him as he turned back towards the stove, pouring the batter into the pan and prepared to flip it. "I didn't say you couldn't eat it, Mint." He finished flipping and turned off the gas, placing the cakes in a short stack on a plate and dribbled lemon on them. "I mean, the _occasional _salty chip, a slice of cake or a greasy burger won't hurt the baby." Fetching a knife and fork from the cutlery drawer, he laid them side-by-side next to the plate. "All I'm asking is for you to take better care of yourself; if you can't resist your bad cravings, the baby will favor unhealthy foods later in life. And it's up to us to nip that problem in the bud."

Mint snorted, her anger fading. "_Okay_, I get it, Rue. You don't want to see me jeopardize our baby's health. Seriously though, why did you take away my stash?" she plopped into her chair to receive her breakfast.

Rue carried the plate to the table and set it in front of Mint, next to the jam jar and milk jug. "I did that to help you show some restraint." He held up a forkful in a peace offering and she accepted it, munching crossly. "I'll be in the shower if you need me."

With those words he took off his apron and vacated the room, and his wife swallowed her food.

"Who died and made you boss?" Mint grumbled as the doorbell rang."I wonder who that could be..." Walking up to the front door, the redhead asked in a singsong voice, "Who is it~?"

"A very special visitor~!" came the reply, a woman's voice but with an undercurrent of mischief behind it.

Mint opened up the door to reveal the voice's owner. In such a peaceful environment, the woman's outfit certainly stood out; a pink and white dress accompanied by frilly shoes of the same colors, all topped off with an enormous green bow in her curled sandy-blonde hair and a white hat with a massive pair of bunny ears on top of it all.

"Fancy Mel! What brings you here?"

"Just thought I'd stop by to say hello."

The woman's outfit was enough to draw stares from anyone who hadn't seen her before, but Mint was used to Mel's fashion sense; her eyes were firmly glued to the parcel in the basket the blonde woman was holding. "Would that be a present for me, by any chance?"

"It certainly is, Mint," Fancy Mel nodded, gesturing to the box. "But let me tell you, it wasn't exactly the easiest task ever. Figuring out how to make a spell that can travel from my place to others was difficult just by itself! You're lucky I managed this!"

"Must have been quite the trip. You want some coffee?" At Mel's nod, Mint showed the woman indoors and led her into the living room. Once her guest was seated on the couch, she proceeded to the kitchen to prepare the coffee. Mint filled the kettle in the corner with fresh water from the sink then turned the appliance on at the switch.

Mel observed the bright, colorful furnishings of the living room. She looked out the six panel bay window facing the front yard. The curtains had been pulled back, allowing the morning light to stream in through the panes of glass.

A framed photo on the wooden mantel of the stone fireplace attracted her attention. Mint, looking less pregnant then she did now, was laughing with delight in a blue-and-white swimsuit as Rue held her petite form in his arms.

"What a darling photo... Was this from your honeymoon?"

"Oh, that was my idea!" Mint said as she opened a door under the bench top and brought out a paw-patterned mug and saucer, grinning happily. "I figured since this house is officially mine, there should at least have some photos here and there." The red-haired young woman walked up to the pantry and grabbed the jar of instant coffee sitting on a shelf, unscrewing the lid and put a teaspoon of the brown grains into the cup. When she heard the kettle come to a boil and switch itself off, she filled a quarter of the cup with the very hot water, subconsciously thinking of her ever-popular husband...

"Where_ is_ that faithful hubby of yours?" Fancy Mel asked, startling Mint and bringing her back to reality, considering what was in her hands.

"He's probably upstairs getting changed. Oh wow! I found some cookies in the fridge! Want to try some?"

_"_Yes please." The magician looked over at the romantic novels sitting on the coffee table. The titles read 'First Touch', 'Female in the Flame', 'Silent Storms'.

Wow. She never imagined Rue to own _any _saucy books... or that Mint liked to experiment in the bedroom. A few more sounds of tinkling cutlery could be heard from in the kitchen, and then Mint breezed into the living room with a tea tray.

"Sorry for the wait." she sat at the lacquer table and placed the cup of milk coffee and small but tasty-looking cookies in front of Fancy Mel. "Help yourself."

"Thank you." Mel sampled a cookie. "Oh my! This is absolutely delicious. I didn't think Rue was such a good cook."

"Oh, he_ is_. I'm jealous that he can whip up something with what he can find." Mint patted her belly. "We just looove daddy's low-fat diet, don't we, bub?" she said sarcastically.

After spending a relaxing moment of catching up over confections, they heard Rue come down the stairs and enter the living room. He looked completely, utterly and incredibly kissable in his work attire—brown pants, a lavender colored shirt, a long brown business-like coat and really dark navy dress shoes. On the collar of his plain, long-sleeved shirt was an emerald green tie.

"Um, Mint? Why are you looking at me like that?"

That did it. Mint came back to her senses and gave a little cough.

"I was not staring!" she denied quickly.

"Hello Rue." Mel greeted him. "Mint here was telling me about how well-known you work has become." She drained her entire cup and set it down. "I'm still a little worried what those maidens might do if catch on that their pure-hearted savior is already taken by the high-powered princess."

"They won't. I work under a fictitious name- 'Angel'. It was my supervisor's idea. Not many people know I'm the person responding to their messages." He replied.

"Just as well; you wouldn't want any bad attention from your fangirls." Rue shook his head in a no. Moving on to more important matters, Mel produced the gift-wrapped present from her basket. "This is to share between you two."

Mint opened the box. Inside was a pair of plush dolls. One was adorned with a handmade outfit that resembled Rue's brown and green adventuring clothes. The doll had shoulder-length white hair and a very cute angelic face. In his right hand, the doll held a little plastic weapon painted to look like the Arc Edge. Holding its left hand was the other plush doll. It wore a handmade outfit that resembled the blue, brown and white relic-hunting attire Mint had worn during her search for the Dewprism. She had sunset red hair put up in Mint's hairstyle, and attached behind her leather belt was a little replica of the Dual Halos.

" I made those dolls so your little one can keep a piece of you in their life." Fancy Mel explained. "Even if you're not always together in this world."

A tear trickled down Mint's cheek. It was deflected from its course by the widening grin on her face.

"Oh my god..." Mint gushed, her voice choked with emotion. "They're perfect! Thanks so much, Mel."

Rue looked at the dolls sincerely and said nothing. He was moved by the magician's kind gesture nonetheless.

The woman cocked her head to the side and smiled at Rue and Mint knowingly. "You're welcome. I'm sure your baby will love them too." she stood up to leave. "Well, it looks like I'd better be off. Thank you for the coffee, Mint. It tasted wonderful."

They walked her to the entrance. "You're welcome to drop by anytime." Mint said. "Our door's always open!"

"Unless Mint sticks a 'Go Away' mat in front of it." Rue muttered, and she brought her heel down on his foot. "_Ow_."

Mel chuckled. "I'll be sure to call on you in the future." she disappeared, then reappeared. "Oh. And please do go easy on the sugar, Mint."

Mint's face reddened. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"I mean you should listen to Rue more."

She waved goodbye to the happy-looking duo, closing the door behind her.

"She got you there," Rue added lightly. Mint shot him a poisonous glare before moving to glance at the calendar hanging on the fridge. One of the dates was circled in bright neon red. It announced that she had morning choreography at 8:55am before work.

The round white clock on the kitchen wall showed 8:15.

"Oh no! I forgot I had dance practice today!" she took a deep breath and devoured her breakfast, picking the platter clean in under a minute. "Thanks for the chow!" she leapt from the table and took her dishes to the sink.

"You shouldn't move that fast right after eating, Mint. You'll make yourself sick." reproved Rue.

"The only thing I'm sick of is you telling me off." His wife snapped. "Now where's my...?"

"Here you go." He held out her lunch pack. Still moving as fast as she could, Mint grabbed it and rushed for the door to shove the food in her duffel bag.

"There'd better not be any pumpkin in it."

"I think you're going to like it. Are you all set?"

"Yup!" Mint planted a quick, affectionate kiss on his lips. It was over in an instant, but it felt like it had lasted much longer. She broke away and dashed down the tree-lined street at full sprint, waving madly. "Love you!"

"Take care! Have a good practice!" He returned the wave, blushing more than he had in years, as he watched those flying sunset pigtails disappear from sight and she rounded the corner. Rue pursed his lips thoughtfully, savoring the taste of Mint's strawberry flavored lip balm...

There were tall elm trees all around the neighborhood, bursting to the crown with leafy green foliage. The sight was enchanting but Mint didn't have time to focus on that now-she was going to miss the bus!

* * *

><p>"Okay, girls, let's start with stretches and move on to poise!" The choreographer was announcing when Mint opened up the door. Moving briskly, she attempted to sneak unnoticeably into the dance hall...<p>

But Tonio, who was aware of the redhead's every move, made that impossible. "Good morning, Mint. You just made it on time."

Mint froze in her tracks and looked at him. "What are you doing here, Tonio?"

"Martha asked me to draw some sketches. She said it will help me think of new costume designs. I'm thinking of a ruby-studded leotard, rhinestone stilettos and a small crown for you. Do you think it will work on you?"

"Sure it will!" Mint placed a hand over her chest and lifted her chin proudly. "With these perfect measurements even a simple towel can look good on me!"

"To the lass with the unusual hairstyle, would you kindly stop your meaningless chatter and direct your attention to me?" The choreographer informed Mint, who glowered in anger at the rudeness of that pompous, cherub-faced son of a-

Shoving the thought aside, Mint went through some last-minute warm-ups and strode over to join the front of the group.

"Humph! I'll show him how good I am..." Mint murmured to herself, as she waited for the lively music to start and began to dance in time with the beat. She was the best... she was in top shape... she was well into her groove for the next eleven seconds... Then it began to grow harder when she put all her energy into following the steps. Her eyes watered from the exhaustion. Fire was racing through her with each movement, but she had promised herself to keep going. Her feet started to get sore, although she continued dancing just the same.

In front of her, the choreographer's reflection stared out of the mirror at the tall, lean-muscled beauty with bright red hair. Her aura was _burning_ with life, projecting an illusion of a phoenix made by the young woman's red locks. He continued to stare into the pretty face of the redhead, while he observed her fellow dancers with a critical eye, pointing out the steps that needed work, then waited for their sequence to finish and pressed the 'stop' button.

"That's it for today, ladies. Good work."

Dazed, Mint sank to the ground. Her energy was gone.

* * *

><p>Pressing her forehead against the cool glass of the bathroom mirror, Mint felt like screaming. No! She couldn't hold it in! Maybe there was something else in her bag that would help take her mind off her nausea...<p>

But she had thought of that already. To keep herself from bringing up her breakfast she had packed her bag with only the bare necessities. She doubted her bottle of flat lemonade would keep her upset stomach calm through the entire day. No! She can do this, she can do this!

All she had to do was pretend like it nothing was wrong.

Mint recomposed herself and headed for the showers to freshen up and change into her waitress uniform. The uniform's design consisted of a lavender skirt with a frilly petticoat, a white blouse with pink checked ribbon tie, a cat-eared headband, white knee-socks and black shoes with silver buckles, and lastly a short apron with the store's embroidery on it.

After checking her appearance, she proceeded to where the kitchen was. She smiled and waved to her co-workers, greeting everyone she knew. The girl must have said "good morning" nearly a ten times already before reaching the diner's kitchen area. When she did, her nose was tickled by the aromatic fragrances of coffee beans and sponge cake.

"Mr. Andou?" She addressed the broad back of her manager, George, who was grinding coffee with a hand mill. The sturdy middle-aged addressee turned around with a tender smile. "I know I'm supposed to be waiting the tables today, but can I switch to kitchen duties?"

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not feeling well."

"Is that why you want to change your post?" He saw her nod her head in yes. "Alright... Let's find a simple task that you can do. How about we start with-"

"George!" Martha was calling for his attention in the hall. George excused himself and hurried to hear what she had to say. From where she was standing, Mint was able to hear snatches of their conversation, and judging by the looks on their faces it wasn't good news at all.

"We have to... corner... ask..."

"Let's not... unreasonable... You... how... loves... dance…"

"... I know..."

_What's going on?_ Mint's eyes furrowed as the pair approached her.

"Mint, George and I would like to have a little word with you." Martha spoke with forced calm. "Can you come with us for a sec?"

"O... kay..." The redhead was uneasy about why they wanted to talk to her. She followed Martha with George to the main office in the club. As soon as the door to her office was shut and the blinds were pulled down halfway, Martha did not hesitate to answer Mint's unspoken question.

"We recently received a phone call from a certain... individual not too long ago." she addressed the younger female. "He told me you were experiencing symptoms of a stomach flu-"

"-From a major cold! I think I caught a bug or something." Mint lied quickly.

Martha raised her eyebrows in a look of surprise. "Oh? So you've been carrying this "bug" with you for nearly two months, without even telling us?" she clarified.

Uh oh.

Mint gulped and mumbled something that sounded like "unplanned" as she shifted from one foot to the other.

Her employer placed a hand to her forehead and let out a deep sigh, glossy jet-black hair falling down one side of Martha's face. Martha focused her eyes on Mint again, who was still fidgeting.

"Sweetie, _why _didn't you tell us you were pregnant?"

"I-I thought I could wing it!" she burst out. "Rue's the father, if you really want to know. And it's not like he's gonna up and leave. What do you care, anyway?"

"Well now I'll have to plan a whole new show! And we need to find a substitute who can dance in your place until after you have your kid."

Mint could not believe what she was hearing. Her heart rate quickened. They were going to replace her -the _star_?

"You're taking away_ my _[expletive] spotlight?!" she cried in disbelief. "_Why_?!"

"For your safety. And no, I'm _not_ letting you back on that stage. All those lights and the noise... There's a catastrophe waiting to happen!" Martha yelled louder then Mint.

George cleared his throat, a gesture meant to attract their attention.

"Minty," He said, trying to smooth things over. "I know this sounds like a big shock, but your own baby's safety is more important than your dancing career. Having said that... the only thing Martha and I can give you is some lighter work in the restaurant kitchens. You're my most popular server; you should be fortunate to still be working for me. I'll ask Tonio to help adjust your uniform next week."

Martha was not going to let her potty mouth off the hook that easily, however.

"If you can't listen to George, then you can go clean up your dressing room."

"Why should I [expletive] listen to him?" Mint suddenly spat. "I have practiced _too damn hard _to drop it all now! I'm not giving away my top spot to _anyone_. You think you can make me budge by your hand. It's not gonna work. Maybe that's why George is so good at sucking up to you, Martha. Besides, after this meeting's swept under the rug, I'll never stop performing again."

"That's it. I don't care if you are our burning flower. You're banned."

The pigtailed girl clenched and unclenched her hands to stop them from shaking, her employers and her surroundings blurring. She turned around and stormed out of Martha's office, angrily slamming the door behind her.

"I'm sorry." Martha apologized to her shield. "She's usually not that snippy."

"You did all right." George assured his sword.

* * *

><p><em>The full moon shone on the little girl's hair, which shimmered like a vibrant inferno as a soft breeze blew the silken tresses around her face. Her eyes, as brown as earth, looked to the horizon as a new day was about to dawn. Rue slowly reached out to touch the child's shoulder. She turned toward him... <em>

"Rue... Rue... Wake up..."

Wake up? But he was already awake. Unless...

He blinked his eyes drowsily, his vision coming into focus. The first thing he saw was his taskmaster's smiling face.

"Ms. Kyoni?" With a startled gasp, he roused completely and realized where he was. All the other workers in the training room began to giggle softly, and he blushed a deep crimson before rocketing out of his chair. "I-I'm sorry!"

He hung his head in shame, but his supervisor didn't seem angry.

"Since you missed everything in today's meeting, you are to write a letter explaining your behavior and hand it in to my office." The black watch on her wrist chimed, saving Rue from further humiliation. "Everyone can go off to break. Come back in fifteen minutes at 10:45."

Her employees stood and followed one another to escape the room. Rue did not leave right away, his mind still on that odd dream. That small girl with the red hair... Who was she? _What_ was she?

"Come on. Let's get moving." Neil penetrated his thoughts.

He turned to follow. "Yeah."

The duo collected their morning snacks from their offices and took them downstairs to the cafeteria. The sky outside was cloudy with a gentle but persistent downpour- a relief from the warm weather. Rue, however, seemed to have no appetite for his blueberry muffin. Neil watched him stare at his lunchbox, head down.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"Not hungry..."

"But you're always coming in with yummy leftovers." His friend pointed out.

"I'm alright. I'll eat the muffin in a bit."

"You say that but your face says otherwise."

Rue sighed and explained everything; his uneasiness, Mint's rebellions, all of it.

"Is that why you're quiet?" Neil inquired.

"It is. And to top of it all off she's getting more difficult." He glanced out at the rain with a resigned air, missing the worried look in Neil's eyes.

* * *

><p>ANGEL IS AN...<p>

Mint finished scrawling the offensive message across the wall, deliberately marking the surface of the grey bricks as she did so. She tossed the spray can back to its owner, passing a couple of gold coins in his direction to thank him for letting her use it.

The delinquent paid her his respects and went on his way.

She observed the alleyway, looking for some other way to vent. Finally, Mint left the back street, hair slipping out of their pigtails.

"Damnit, still mad... Ugh..." Not quite sure what she had in mind, she made for a nearby bar, then noticed a sign by the wrought iron entry door. "What does that say?" Curious, she moved closer to examine the lettering. "'Score one-thousand points at Pinball and get a free drink refill', huh?"

A warning bell went off in her head. She averted her gaze.

"Nuh-uh. Gotta get back to work... Resist temptation..." Then she reconsidered it. "Argh! Screw them! I can do whatever I want!"

Going for it, she flung open the door to reveal the pub's interior. Glancing around at the rustic furniture, she soon saw rows of cream soda faucets along the back wall, each of them a different type.

"What to choose..." she paid for a drink at the counter and read the labels. "It has chocolate liquor?!" Enthusiastically she filled her cup under the drink dispenser, and downed a big mouthful. It _was_ chocolate liquor, but there was some other flavor in it as well, one she couldn't quite identify. That didn't stop it from tasting delicious!

She made her way across the gleaming floor, mind buzzing, to where the arcade game was waiting...

* * *

><p>Rue looked miserably at his reflection in the fountain of the atrium. He did despise disagreements; it usually took away his normal stability.<p>

"I know that Mint can stand on her own two feet, but she doesn't need to act so high and mighty..."

"I'm sure she'll understand if you told her." Neil offered.

"Yeah. But she won't listen no matter what I say. Our baby probably doesn't care either..."

His comrade had to suppress a chuckle at the sight of Rue's tepid expression. "I wouldn't be so sure on that. The two of you complement one another, and I'm positive you'll be harmonious again in no time."

* * *

><p>"That was great..." Mint let the last few drops of liquid land on her tongue, savored the taste and swallowed. She couldn't really remember when she'd ordered her third glass, but she felt incredibly full, and maybe a little queasy too. The interior of the bar suddenly felt stifling. She need to go out... Get some fresh air... Yeah. That would help clear her head.<p>

On the other side of the block, Rue walked down the hall at work, still troubled. He knew -as everyone in the office building was aware- that he was going to be a father in seven months, and although Mint's behavior wasn't making things easy for him, he concluded that he'd have to set aside some time to have a rational talk with her tonight. She was his All-Play and her foreign beauty contrasted charmingly with his fairness, and they shared a bed... Some kind of understanding was going to have to be reached.

He swiped the keycard in his office door and entered, found a fresh sheet of stationary paper from his file sorter and headed toward his ink pen holder to get started on his letter to Asuna. He wrote as much as "Dear Ms. Kyoni..." when he heard the purr of his phone signal an incoming call.

"What part of 'I'm not here' don't they understand..." He grumbled, assuming it was the clerk downstairs informing him about another reporter asking for 'Angel'. Rue picked up the receiver and pressed the 'accept' button. "Hello?"

"Is that Rue Artema?" said a masculine voice on the other line.

"Yes. This is him." he said automatically. "May I ask who's calling?"

"Oh -sorry. This is George from 'Mandola'. Mint's manager. I'm calling about the message you left this morning about her condition..."

"Did something happen?"

"Not... exactly. We told Mint that you called out of concern for her health. She didn't take it too graciously. She swore at Martha and caused a ruckus."

"Oh no..." Rue moaned, and rubbed the blue jewel burning uncomfortably on his forehead. "I'm sorry you had to see that. She can be very..." He paused, choosing his words wisely. "Troublesome. I'll smooth things over with her, if you know what I mean."

"Well, best of luck to you, Rue. Let me say that we understand how kind you are to her."

"Thank you, George. Bye." He ended the call, putting the phone down. "Geez... That girl..."

Mint was such an awfully prideful person to have caused so much chaos. A flicker of worry went through him as he spotted a lightened area where a poster promoting Cinnamon's coming show should be.

It was _gone_.

* * *

><p>"I finished the letter, Ms Kyoni." He stepped into the executive suite, with neatly-folded note in hand, and smiled at his superior. "And I made a complimentary drink to go with it."<p>

"Thanks Rue. You're a good boy." she accepted the brief letter and the cup of lavender tea he handed to her.

For the first time Asuna noticed his unhealthy state.

"You look a little green around the gills." Rue tensed slightly at the concerned sound of his boss's tone. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes."

"Honest?"

"Cross my heart."

He couldn't bring himself to lie to Asuna, but how can he tell her the truth? Finally, he forced himself to look natural and moved to the door.

"I'm going to start another column. Once again I do apologize for falling asleep earlier."

"Don't stress yourself over it. You can call me when you're done with the drafts, ok?"

"At once."

His mood did not improve when he reached the bank of elevators and noticed a photo pinned to the notice board of a graffiti illustration of a pretty cat with a little royal crown on its head, her eyes and tail indicating she was pissed off. Scrawled at the bottom were the words: ANGEL IS AN A...HOLE!

"She didn't have to say it like that..." With a sigh, he rested his back against the wall and looked out the window. It had been several minutes, and Mint still had not called him. "What is she doing out there?"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Mint took shelter under a tree, staring up at the sky. It had been getting progressively darker as she walked, the clouds increasing, their tempers boiling...<p>

The woman dipped her head slightly at the tiny, tiny flutter she felt within her. Mint frowned. Had that been her imagination?

Her phone sounded an incoming message tone with a quick and light rhythm. She grabbed the flame-red phone by the pumpkin decoration on it and pulled it out of her skirt pocket before flipping it open.

"A message…" The active screen was glowing with brightly animated symbols. In the middle was a notification that the text was from Rue. Mint automatically pressed the large 'select' button at the top of the number pad so she could read the message.

"I called 'Mandola' and told them that you're sick. Call me if you feel too unwell to work. I will come and pick you up ASAP." The text showed up on her liquid display.

Her eyes narrowed. _So Rue was the one who made that phone call._ He must have explained to Martha about her nausea just so he could expose her. Well, Mint was having none of it! Right now, she'll contact him and demand some answers!

Her response was a question. 'Why the hell did you tell Martha I was sick and loaded?'

She waited, but no reply came. She tried calling his personal phone, except all she got was an instruction to leave a voice recording on his voicemail.

Mint sighed.

_Oh, what's the use?_ she thought despondently. The text was the least of her worries. The problem was that she was depressed. Very, very depressed and bored. There just wasn't anything for her to do. No more grazing on her favorite snack foods, no more dancing in spectacular clothes...

Life just wasn't fair. Sometimes she thought the universe had it in on her.

"... I'm telling you Angel is a _godsend_." she heard a voice as she was putting her phone away, and turned at the sound of the conversation on the opposite of the road. "If he hadn't been there, I'd be done for."

"You would throw yourself off a high-rise building cause' your girl dumped you for another dude. Now Princess Cinnamon... there's a girl who is worth every piece of gold!"

"Get your head out of the gutter, you fool. Sure, she has a nice ass and all... Put her hair up in pigtails and really look into those eyes, she resembles Mint Artema."

"You know _the_ Mint Artema!?"

"Almost everyone in Carona knows of Mint. She is considered by many to be the most beautiful girl in town."

"But who is she?"

"She's that red-haired vixen who works at Mandola."

"You mean she's a common waitress?"

"There's nothing common about her. Aside from her unequalled beauty, there is an air of nobility behind her ruby eyes. No one knows where she came from. There is talk that she is the older sister of East Heaven's currant ruler, Maya Artemecia."

"What would the queen's elder sibling be doing in a small town out in the Yodaya Archipelago?"

"You know how rumours are. No doubt any stories told about Mint are made up by other girls who are envious of her. I'm sure there's no truth in them. She probably nothing more than an angry, conceited, selfish, egotistical little rich girl slumming it in Carona. If she had a handsome young husband to keep her in line, I'd give my own heart out to the poor guy."

_Tch. At least he treats me better than some other perverted jerk. _Mint thought bitterly.

"… It's no wonder everyone likes Rue. He has the makings of an Aeon with his miracle work."

_Whoa, whoa, whoa! You have got to be [expletive] kidding me! _Now she was getting mad. Not only were the men referring to her other half as an Aeon, they were saying he was more successful than her! She muttered under her breath, "Sure, he could lose the serious act like it was yesterday's news—because, oh yeah, it _is_—and he made me do all that hard work myself on our Dewprism quest. But now, they're all calling him a _god _and don't give a damn about me! Those fools should grovel at _my_ feet, not his!"

She stomped her foot and hit a tree with one of her rings.

_Damn this!_ Mint gave up being angry and settled herself on the discarded couch nearby. She was so tired, so dizzy. She couldn't remember being so tired.

All she could think of was rest.

* * *

><p>She was still asleep, snoring, later that night. Long after the moon had crawled up into the sky, a lone dog came wandering up to the couch, sniffing. It smelled musty but he didn't care. He liked being outside with his master. His ears perked up when he heard his name being called, and he turned away with tongue dangling from his mouth.<p>

Wait a sec...

Suddenly a sweet and floral odor filled his nose. He sniffed the air around him, but the smell was not coming from there. Someone was wearing it, and it was close.

His curiosity became too hard to ignore and he went back to the sight of red hair he'd seen under the ragged cushion on the old sofa.

Johnny Wolf pulled on it with his teeth, revealing the form of Mint who was sound asleep.

* * *

><p>"Ow, my head..." Mint sat up, blinking, and rubbed her head. Her body hurt and she had a headache. She looked around, unsure of where she was.<p>

Her memories of what she did today were a little hazy, but this was clearly not her bedroom. She took in her surroundings. A rustic oak floor with a shag rug on it. Concrete walls. A dresser, a wardrobe and there was a guitar leaning against the wall. For some reason, she was lying on a bed wearing a strange white T-shirt.

The door opened and Rod came in. He grinned when he saw she was awake.

"You're finally up, kiddo." He handed her a glass of some fluid. "Here's some juice. I thought you might need it."

As Mint sipped the drink, she realized how thirsty she was. The orange juice felt nice and cool washing down her throat.

"Um, thanks. What am I doing here?"

"Johnny Wolf found you outside."

"How did I get outside?"

"You seriously don't remember? Not a thing?"

She shook her head. Rod sat across from her with a troubled look on his face.

"I was surprised when that dog came running to me all in a panic. He wouldn't stop barking till I followed him." He told her. "Who'd have thought you were right there passed out on that couch. So I carried you inside, got you out of your dirty uniform, and here you are."

"Wait..." Things were starting to come back to her now. "I went to choreography this morning... My managers took me aside... Told me I can't perform anymore because of the baby... And Rue was the one who ruined my stardom. _It's all his damn fault_!" she yelled, and she started to cry.

Rod had a good guess what she was thinking, and took her in his muscled arms.

"You can cry as much as you want, Mint. Get it all out."

Mint was no crybaby but her whole body shook with the force of her tears, clinging to him like a child as she buried her face in his shoulder. He held her gently, his hug getting more protective when she didn't push him away.

After a few long seconds, the tears finally subsided, Mint pulling away to look Rod in the face. She couldn't stop a small smile through her tear-stained cheeks as she saw his understanding eyes. "Can I stay here tonight?" she sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Of course." He assured her, running his fingers through a clean steak of hair. "I think a bath is on the cards for you."

She nodded in agreement, smiling again. "Lead the way." The suggestion sounded appealing, obviously, and before long he was taking her to the bathroom and turning on the water. Once the tub was full, Rod slipped out of the room to give Mint some privacy.

Taking off the shirt and her underwear, Mint slowly climbed in, the water reaching up to her neck. She lifted her hands out of the water, blinking as she watched them shake slightly. Frowning, she thrust them back into the water.

She had to get a grip; she was stronger than this.


	6. Chapter IV: Underneath the Truth

Chapter IV: Underneath the Truth

Neil's eyes widened as Rue relayed the events of yesterday afternoon.

"Mint made that graffiti by herself?" They were sitting together in the back of the board room. Up at the front, their instructor was reading out a passage from a booklet.

"Pretty much. I left some chicken noodles and honey yogurt for her in case she came home. She never did." He looked down at his interpersonal spreadsheet, tapping the ballpoint pen on the table. "She must be still mad at me..."

"Mr. Artema?" The instructor called out.

Guiltily, Rue jerked his head up. "Yes sir?"

"Can you read out the next paragraph?"

"Of course." He stood from his seat.

"She'll come around." Neil hissed. "First paragraph. Eighth line."

Rue shot him a grateful smile, and started reading. "Relationships are about two people interacting. Without equal time, effort and consideration, there's no way it can work."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Rod, can you pass me the toast?"<p>

"Sure." Rod passed the plate across to Mint, who sat at the other side of his low table. She was now wearing a borrowed shirt and some khakis.

"Thanks for letting me crash here. I needed the company."

"You don't have to feel like the world's forgotten your efforts. There are people here who still care about you." Rod reasoned, watching the woman with long hair in twin pigtails take a bite of her toast. "What do you think?"

"Disgusting but edible." Mint said, with her mouth full.

That was what she said.

The corners of Rod's mouth turned up in a smirk at her feedback, as he took notice of Mint's relaxed posture. Her slim legs slightly open. The steady rise and fall of her smooth, slightly rounded tummy.

"You look way better now compared to last night. Are you up to working today?"

"Perhaps." she wiped off the crumbs around her mouth with her sleeve, rising from the table to take her plate to the sink. "I'm gonna watch some tv..."

"Want to read the guide?" Rod offered.

Mint shook her head. "Nah. Baby and me need to do our morning stretches first. Gotta to get fit somehow, you know?"

"And that's coming from the person who snores in her sleep."

"...!" Her cheeks colored and she stuck her middle finger up at him in response. The guy didn't take offence to her gesture; she knew he was only messing with her.

"There's a couple of things I have to do downstairs." He called as Mint settled herself in his recreation room, directly beside his sleeping quarters and living space. "Whatever you do, don't go snooping around."

Mint waved a dismissive hand from her place on the lounge chair.

"Relax. It's not like you're hiding anything shady." she turned her head to flash him a cunning smile. "Did you get a good look after taking off my waitress getup?"

As she expected, her friend's face turned the color of his flaming hair. Why that little...!

"You shut it, Mint." He retorted. "As ifI wanted to see you in your underwear." Because he treated her like a kid sister.

Mint snickered.

"You _really_ need a lady friend. So what happened to your girl Lucile? Are you still together with..."

She trailed off at the look on Rod's face.

"We're not talking." The tall, strapping man said quietly. "Not anymore..."

Mint's shoulders slumped. Damn...

* * *

><p>"...Folks say that the number of Angel's letters has been <em>slipping<em> and some readers are starting to doubt his temperament..."

Rue absentmindedly watched the television screen, staring but not really watching it. Where was Mint right now? No... He couldn't talk to her... Not when she was in a foul mood...

"He seems too good to _be_ good but is that only for show?"

What?

Startled, he focused on the male newscaster's voice.

"Next thing you know he'll be getting some with one of his groupies..."

Rue stiffened in his seat. How can they talk about Angel like that? He's a good person. He wasn't immoral!

All around him, his co-workers expressed their shock and resentment.

"Is that for real?!"

"So this means he's cheating us…"

"… I knew he was a user from the start."

Neil leaned over slightly to whisper that the report had to be a fake. Still dazed, Rue nodded.

He was not the only one thrown off by the sudden newsflash. High up on her perch, Asuna was watching it as well.

Rue passed through the sky garden, his mind filled with questions. To say he was surprised was putting it mildly. How can someone broadcast a report like that without any solid evidence? How many more rumors were being cooked up? He'll have to give Claire a call and ask for some guidance once work was finished...

He passed by a small pond with unknown flowers floating on the surface, only to watch them drift away from him. Sighing, he sat on the rockery next to it. Great. Even the blossoms didn't like him...

Someone walked up to the pond and dropped a pure white iris in it. "Today's not your day, is it, Doll-Boy?"

"Mi-" Rue almost yelped and whirled around. His boss was standing right there next to him, wearing a leopard print suit and silver accessories on her ears and fingers.

"Sorry for fooling you, Rue. Were you expecting someone else?"

"I wasn't-" He tried to give voice to his thought, then gave up. "Maybe..."

"But you can't stop worrying about her, can you?" she gave him an understanding look, and Rue could feel a tinge of pink spreading across his face. Asuna was so perceptive and intelligent. He felt safe talking to her like this.

"Ms. Kyoni, are you...?" When Asuna turned her eyes to him, the words got caught in Rue's throat for a moment. But she knew what he was about to ask, and adjusted her glasses.

"There's a little pastry shop not too far from here. I was actually on my way down to order some dessert. Care to join me?"

"Won't anyone notice you're gone?"

"I already gave my secretary a word in advance. It's alright."

Rue nodded to confirm that he'd like to come along, even though he wasn't aware that she knew what he was thinking.

In no time that it took to tell, they were standing outside the bakery. It was indeed a cute shop, complete with flower boxes in the windows and an antique wooden sign hanging from the post above the door. The two of them entered and were seated in the booth next to the window.

A girl in a maid uniform greeted them behind the counter, clasping her hands respectively.

"You don't have to pay for anything. My treat." Asuna told Rue, who looked at her bewilderedly. There was something about what she said that struck him as terribly important... though he couldn't imagine why. "Can I have two teas and two slices of strawberry cream cake? The one with the cream filling." she told the maid.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"And can I have one extra slice to-go?"

The maid returned with the teas and Asuna's cake a moment later. Asuna thanked her and placed a slice before Rue. "For you."

"Thank you." Rue lifted his fork and began to eat, but Asuna did no such thing. Instead, she raised her cup to her lips and took a careful sip as she watched him.

"Do you like it?"

"It's good."

"Glad to hear. I'm not a big fan of sweets myself, but it is nice to indulge one in a while. Now then..." she bestowed him with a professional smile. "Care to explain why you're overworking yourself?"

Rue felt thrown by the sudden shift in topic and blushed.

"Everything's fine." Why was he lying?

"Really?" inquired Asuna suspiciously.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

Okay, so she can see through him...

"Well..." Rue confessed. "The truth is I..."

Asuna's serious expression softened, then she said, "Tell me what's on your mind."

Over tea and strawberry cake, he told her about his marriage to Mint, his pregnant wife's rebellions at home, and his anxiety that she might do something that could put their unborn child's life on the line.

"That's why I want to maintain some order in the place where my heart is." Rue said when he finished his story.

Asuna drooped her long eyelashes, looking as though she was thinking. It was as if she was listening to a sound that he couldn't hear.

"... Okay, Rue, I want to get a couple of things clear." she opened her eyes. "First of all, I read your letter, and I'm glad you told me what's been troubling you. Secondly... why can't I detect the trace of cinnamon on your clothes?"

"Huh?" Startled, her protégé sniffed the sleeve of his jacket curiously. It didn't have Mint's scent on it.

Asuna gave a low laugh. "I thought that might grab your attention. That smell was the first thing I noticed when we first met. It was subtle but it did hold a strong message; "He's my man and you can't have him. Go away!". Or something along those lines." Her eyes grew more serious. "More importantly, I heard on the news that the serious and taciturn 'Angel' is starting to lose his touch. What_ fools_. You're calm, courteous, efficient and a responsible employee. Those qualities are why I pay you so well. And yet when I look at you here now, your face is pale and your eyes are distant. Now, if you don't mind me being frank, your condition is starting to have me worried."

"The trouble is I can't get the root cause out of my head."

The woman nodded in compassion, aware that the strong-willed and free-spirited young lady she had seen in Rue's eyes might have something to do with it.

"How about you take some time off and relax?" she suggested. "You can do a bit of light reading and take a daily walk along the green. I'll bet a few weeks of R&R will do you a lot of good."

Rue was startled by Asuna's words.

"Thank you very much." A faint smile played at his lips.

His supervisor raised a hand to silence him.

"No need to be so formal. You can call me by my first name, you know."

"Thanks for hearing me out... Asuna."

Ms. Kyoni forced down a faint blush that threatened to show on her face. It was the first time he had_ ever_ called her by her actual name, and it made her knees grow weaker from second to second.

"It's no trouble at all; you deserve it. While we're on the subject, I found this envelope this morning. It appears to be addressed to you." she produced a single envelope from inside her jacket pocket and handed it across the table to Rue.

Rue examined the plain white envelope closely. Strange. It certainly didn't look like one of the usual letters his readers send in to the newspaper. Taking a deep breath, he emptied its contents into his hand and looked over the message within.

Dear Monsieur Artema, (it read)

I work at a small library on the east side of town. Quite pleasant and very homely. My newest assistant has sadly died in a car accident and I have no-one to help me with my books. Work is becoming too much for one person to handle.

I have been looking for someone who's good with taking care of books and has experience in serving people, but nobody is interested in taking up a lowly assistant's job. I have heard from the children who visit my building that there's a fabled angel who will answer the inked wishes of the hopeful and lost asking for his help.

Please tell "Angel" to answer my plea, Monsieur Artema. My address is written on the back of this letter if he wishes to contact me.

Signed

Krissy Gartellier

Rue didn't say a word. He read the words running across the notepaper again, and his thoughts soon drifted to his wife... What was Mint going to say about all of this?

He set the letter down in front of him on the table and lifted his eyes to Asuna again, who was giving him a questioning look.

"The letter came from a woman called Krissy." the young man said finally. "She recently lost her assistant in a car crash and she's asking me to help her at the library. But I don't know how to..."

Asuna shook her head understandably at his words.

"Whatever you choose to say is up to you entirely. I won't rush you." she informed him. "I'll give you your leave form before the home commute. That will give you enough time to weigh up how many weeks you want off. You can fill the form out tonight and _do_ remember to hand it in the next morning. And don't even _think_ about answering Krissy's request until you're absolutely sure you want to do it."

Rue suddenly jumped when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled the leaf-green phone out and read the message, a smile blossoming on his face.

To: Rue

Wednesday 19/7/2017

Your queen and heir are safe with me. I'll tell you more later on.

From: Rod

Asuna would have had to be blind not to see the change in Rue when she saw his expression. "Did you get a pick-me-up?"

"Yup." He answered, quickly placing the device back in his side-front pocket. _Now I know she's in good hands. _He was thinking when the maid came over, tottering a small cake box.

"Here's your extra piece of cake, Ma'am."

"Oh, no! That's not for me."

The maid looked confused as she looked back and forth between the two people.

"It's not?"

"That slice is for the one connected to _him_." Asuna said firmly, looking at the charitable man with frosty hair next to her.

"This is for me?" Rue asked, graciously accepting the gift of food.

"Well, if you don't want it, then—"

"I'll save it for Mint." He thought his heart would not stop thumping with happiness as he clutched the present in his hands and watched the maid depart. He didn't see the way the older woman was looking at him, a twinge of sympathy in her dark steely eyes.

"Rue, there's something..." she began rather hesitantly.

"Yes?"

Asuna pressed her lips together and shook her head. Now was not the time.

"Never mind."

Rue would no doubt realize it by himself.

* * *

><p>"I'm back."<p>

"There you are, Rue! I've been looking all over for you!"

"You were?"

"When I passed by the garden, you weren't there." Neil studied his friend perceptively; it would have been impossible to mistake that glow. "Looks like something good has come your way."

"You're right." Rue acknowledged, showing him the cake box. "This is one of them. The second thing is here." He produced Krissy's letter and let Neil read it.

"What are you going to do?"

"Right now I have to-" Something flashed through his mind, a sudden frown crossing Rue's face.

"What's up?"

"Something's wrong." It occurred to him that the foreboding presence he felt was in this building. Hardly realizing he was doing so, Rue broke into a run.

"Rue, _wait_!"

Rue paid no heed, running to the cafeteria. He knew this presence; somehow, he'd felt it before. It was-

He rounded the corner and was surprised to see a group of his colleagues gathered in a knot by the bulletin panel. They were looking at something, and with his apprehension growing, he pushed his way through the crowd to see.

His face_ paled_.

Pinned up on the surface of the cork-board was a personal photo of his partner, lying completely naked on the edge of their bed with her hair flowing down. But what was it about the photo that upset him so?

_They're making fun of Mint's breasts_... Someone had drawn an arrow to them and written the words "Budding Badly" in marker pen. He took down the photo, quickly sliding it into the inside pocket of his coat so nobody else can glimpse at it.

Neil's eyes widened when he entered the room and saw his friend. "What happened?"

"Someone... invaded my privacy." Rue tried, but the words were hardly out of his mouth before darkness fell on his world. Neil hurried to his buddy's side and propped Rue upright.

"Hold on. I'll take you to the nurse."

* * *

><p>Neil stayed with him, in the chair by the bed inside the first-aid room. The nurse returned to check on Rue.<p>

"Now let me check your temperature. Hm... your neck feels a tad warm."

"Will he be okay?" Neil inquired.

"It's only a stress-related cold. It may be a good idea to go home and get some rest."

Rue sat up abruptly. "But what about my incoming mail?"

"I'll put them on hold until you come back." Neil reassured him.

"That's-"

"Quite enough out of you." someone else stated. Rue and Neil looked up to see Asuna entering the infirmary.

"Asuna!"

"You should take this wake-up call seriously." Asuna continued. "I might lose my trust in you if you choose not to listen."

"I am."

"After today's fiasco?"

"You have a point, but I can't just-"

"No buts!_ I_ will fill in your leave application. You can take the rest of today off. Sound good?" she looked at the nurse, and the other woman nodded.

"I don't see why not."

"Neil, can you help Rue grab his stuff?"

"Sure thing!"

So there were people who still cared about him... At once, Rue felt comforted, if not free from his worries.

"Thank you."

* * *

><p>It was utterly quiet, minus the steady drum of rain on his umbrella. It seemed the downpour would never cease, but George paid no attention as he waited by the front entrance to his establishment.<p>

"Now Mint, what are you going to say when you see Martha?"

"I'm sorry for my behavior and it won't ever happen again."

"And...?"

"She can kiss my glorious behind."

"That's NOT what we practiced. C'mon!"

George shook his head in disapproval, watching the two redheads climbing out of the crimson convertible. One had a big hulking frame, whereas the other was perfectly-proportioned like a doll. After having seen Mint before her disappearing act the day before, he was not too surprised that it had come to this. But it was a little unsettling with how it came about.

They were walking towards him now, from the bottom of the stairs, headwear covering their eye-catching tresses. Both of them came to a stop mid-way, and for a moment the three looked at each other.

"Have you learned your lesson?"

"Yeah, yeah." Mint grumbled, then growled when Rod turned her around to face George directly. "HEY!"

"Don't get cocky." he murmured.

The girl looked away from his intense stare. "Shut up."

"So are you...?"

"I sent Mint here to work off some steam." Rod answered George's unspoken question. "Her uniform's clean and dry enough to wear again. She's moody, so handle her carefully."

With his passenger safely delivered, he turned away to return to his car. But Mint couldn't let him go. She grinded her teeth in a vain attempt to hide her embarrassment and anger.

"Why are you _leaving me here_?"

He paused mid-step and glanced over his shoulder.

"There's something I have to do."

* * *

><p>He was home at last but his condition didn't seem to be getting better by midday. His door was bolted, the security system was up and running. Nobody was going to get inside unless he let them.<p>

He'd made a cup of warm tea and was having a nap on the sofa bed, only to be roused when he heard the phone in his kitchen ring.

After the fifth ring, the answering machine switched on. "_Hello. Sorry we can't come to the phone right now. Please leave a message, and we'll get back to you ASAP. Bye."_

Rue waited for two intense seconds before he heard a very familiar voice.

"Answer the phone, Rue."

"Claire?!"

He awoke with a jolt and sat up on the couch, then looked around his empty living room. There was no one.

"Just a dream... But why Claire?" he wondered, until a distant ring reached his ears. _Someone's really calling! _

He leapt from the couch and made a dash to the kitchen.

_Can it be Mint? Or Mira? Or Duke? _Reaching for the receiver, he pressed the green button for 'Talk'.

"Artema residence." he answered.

"Hey Rue. It's Rod."

"O-Oh! Rod." Rue realized who was on the other line. "Hi..."

"Got you on loudspeaker; I'm in the car. Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Can't. My boss sent me home sick."

"That has to suck... Listen. Mint stayed over at my place overnight. She said some crazy stuff. Like how she can't perform at that club anymore..."

"What?" Rue almost dropped the phone receiver in shock. "Wh-Why can't she perform?"

"That's the thing. You ripped the red carpet out from under her boots."

_She's blaming me?! _Angry clouds began to gather in Rue's head. "I only called her work to make sure she plays it safe. With her nausea, I mean."

"I hear you. But the woman who ran the place confronted Mint and barred her from dancing. All because of your mistake. I know you're not the only one at fault; Mint had it coming too."

"Yes..." He nodded guiltily at Rod's words, then almost jumped when his brain made the connection. Finally, he'd realized why Asuna's comment was so important. Rue glanced at the letter and the cake box on his wooden kitchen table. "Hey Rod?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you swing by later?"

"Sure. You need a hand with anything?"

"I do." He opened the pastry box, and gazed at the generous slice. "Like preparing for a storm to blow in."


	7. Chapter V: A Goddess's Wrath

Chapter V: A Goddess's Wrath

* * *

><p>Hours later, the rain falling over Carona stopped abruptly. The thick black clouds overhead began to twist and reform, piling up into huge masses. Mint's eyes narrowed and she stepped off the bus.<p>

Something felt... off.

She paid it no attention, walking along the hidden path off the main road to her residential area. At last, she reached the peaceful green mansion surround by trees. She was home. Finally.

Birds were chirping in the trees as she crossed the front lawn, but even so the afternoon seemed too quiet. When she was working away in the noisy restaurant, in a quiet corner rolling up silverware, she hadn't noticed her pregnancy symptoms were starting to ease up until now.

Mint reached for the knob on the front door, expecting it to be locked. However, much to her shock, the door was not.

"No way!"

She stepped cautiously into the foyer, then noticed a pair of laced brown leather shoes next to the step.

Mint stopped, a visible frown creeping to her face. Was_ he_ here?

"Hello Mint." Rue paused in the hall from the kitchen and bestowed one of his sweet smiles on her.

"Oh. It's you."

"Good to see you home. How was work today?"

"It was... okay, I guess." Mint answered with a lame lie, taking off her own shoes before she swapped to her bunny slippers. Her tone caught Rue by surprise.

"What did you do?"

"I was rolling silverware."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. It was so _boring_! But now I can relax at home without anyone disturbing me!"

"You're right. I think it's time for you to come clean."

She had barely dropped her bag on the entry rack when the door banged shut, causing her to jump. Including Johnny Wolf, who was at the other end of the house, eating a serve of homemade dog food.

Mint drew her breath in sharply, twisting her body like a cornered kitty as she attempted to escape the house. Just as she was about to open the in-swinging door that had closed-

"_Ah_!"

Rod had blocked her getaway to the outside.

"You _bastard_!" Mint's distressed screech shattered the air.

"Sorry Mint. I had to do it."

Rue walked in front of Mint, who had come to a complete stop -her escape route having being severed- and gripped her by the upper arms.

"Mint, please calm down."

"_Don't touch me_!"

"I have been worried _sick_ about you. How can you be so reckless?" He said, causing Mint to resist more violently. "I don't understand why you vanished like that."

"Like hell you don't!" she shouted back in a shrill tone. "If you hadn't made that _[expletive]_ phone call, I'd still be dancing for the public! You think you're pure as the driven snow! You're nothing but a foolish dog with a measly salary compared to my fat paycheck."

"Don't talk down at me!" Rue retaliated. "You're always thinking about yourself but I know you can do better than that. Are you going to grow up, or has the fame gone to your head? Our baby is _growing_ even as we speak!"

Mint opened her mouth to speak, but there was no sound coming out. Staying put, Rue slowly let go... only to receive a hard smack to his face when she deliberately struck him.

He winced in pain, looking away. Mint took advantage of the opening and darted around him, running down the hall to the stairs like a bullet.

"And there she goes..." Rod leaned heavily on the doorframe. He had removed the barrier once the coast was clear. "Guess being direct wasn't the best idea, huh?"

His eyes widened in alarm at the sight of Rue's face.

"_Holy shit_, you're bleeding!"

He was bleeding? Rue brought his right hand up and touched his burning cheek, his fingers coming away red with blood. The pain registered a second later.

"Ouch.."

"Where do you keep the med kit?" Rod asked.

"It's in the bathroom. At the bottom of the cabinet below the basin. Left side."

"Got it." He hurried upstairs. Upon reaching the bathroom, Rod went straight to the cabinet and opened it. Right there on the shelf was a Velcro first aid kit. He quickly tucked it in his leather jacket and headed back to the door.

His path was cut off when Mint came hurrying past and vomited in the toilet, then sinking down to the floor with a groan.

"Hey..." She didn't notice him at all, but gazing miserably into thin air, an irritated flush across her cheeks. "You okay there, Mint?"

Without warning she stood up and marched to the basin, ignoring his voice, and rinsed the sour taste out of her mouth.

"Listen to me when I'm-"

"_Don't worry, I heard you the first time_!" Mint yelled at him loudly. She moved one hand to her stomach area, sensing the baby start inside her womb and squirm around.

Rod realized he could see tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm such a wreck..." The tears dripped down her cheeks and into the porcelain bowl, though she didn't seem aware of it. "Maybe I can't raise this baby."

She bent her face forward so her hair concealed it, but she couldn't hide her shaking shoulders or the sounds of her tears. Rod flinched, fought it, and walked to the sink to face her.

"This is stupid!" she cried. "Why does everything I want get taken away from me? If only I-"

"Not everything."

She stopped talking when she heard what Rod said, and looked up to see a box of almond chocolate being offered to her. She looked up more and saw his face, wearing a tender expression that she'd never seen on him before.

"You've got us." he added softly. Mint didn't know why she spilled her guts to Rod like that, but it had just felt like the right thing to do. And when she reached to accept the almond chocolate, it felt even more right. Like somehow she'd known he would understand how she felt.

"Thank you." she said, and parked herself on the utility stool. Suddenly, her stomach growled. Mint blushed and looked down. "Shut up, stomach."

Rod laughed. "Maybe your stomach is saying it's time for you to perk up and eat."

* * *

><p>He had finished wiping the damp tissue over the cut marks on his face. Rue looked in the mirror at his progress. At least the injury site was clean now... He studied his reflection, the white hair in a ponytail and those deep brown eyes, and decided that that was enough.<p>

He can still carry on.

... But what about her?

"Hey Rue." Rod greeted him as he stopped on the landing of the stairwell, first-aid kit in hand. "Look what I got for you." He tossed something. Almost automatically, Rue caught it in his hands, then opened up his palms to reveal a slim box of medical plasters with animal paws printed on them.

"Thanks. I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

"Don't worry about it. Now let's get those wounds patched up. That's what uncles are for, right?"

Rod had a point. Since he wanted to help, well...

"That's right."

His friend took great care in aiding Rue with his injury. He carefully patted the skin cuts with cotton wool until they were clean and dry. He then dabbed antiseptic ointment over them and covered the sores with a couple of plasters.

"There. That should do it." Rod sat back and examined his handiwork. His lips curled up in satisfaction. "Not bad."

Rue checked them. Both plasters ran along his injured cheek, sealing the marks shut.

"Did she have to scratch me there of all places..." he sighed, not aware of the person who was walking down the stairs that very moment. She paused at the bottom step, listening in to their conversation.

"Judging by the cuts they don't look _too_ deep." Rod set the medical kit on the table near Rue. "If I were her, I'd be raging mad too."

"Huh?"

Oops! He hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"I-I mean the scratches, of course." The man cleared his throat in his embarrassment. A flash of movement caught his eye.

There was nothing to be seen. But he could have sworn he saw someone walking away. With long red pigtails flowing behind her back. Where was she...

"Would you like some coffee, Rod?" Rue offered.

"I'd go for one. You sure you can do it on your own?"

"No, I got it. I'm not terribly sick." He protested, trying to make his way to the kitchen. "One large mug of strong coffee. I think there's about-"

A second later there was a rough cough and the sound of an unsteady hand. With a shake of his head, Rod steered the darling daddy-to-be back to the sofa bed in the family room and sat him down.

"You stay here and unwind. I will make the drink. Your health's bad enough as it is."

"True." Rue agreed, as a pulse of pain shot through his head. "I'll take it easy from here."

Mint leaned against the washroom doorframe with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Unwind, huh?"

* * *

><p>Belle cocked an eyebrow when she heard his sniffling. Though her good-for-nothing partner loved reading his books when he wanted to -and he often did- Duke was not prone to cry because of one.<p>

"Uh oh..."

"What are you sobbing about?" she asked him.

"Oh Milady! It's terrible!"

"What's terrible? Out with it!" The woman with blue hair growled in annoyance.

Without a word, he handed the novel to Belle, prompting her to read the passage.

"'Tales of the Dewprism'... I swear..." Belle scanned her eyes down across the page, then she blinked. She cast a look at Duke. "Is that all?"

He nodded his head quickly, as big wet tears rolled down his cheeks.

"R-R-Read the next bit."

"You and your stupid stories..." Muttering under her breath, she soon found the words. "'_The hero stirred against his master's bind. He opened his eyes just in time to see the Aeon, in unfathomable rage, fire a beam at the Princess. The Princess was hurled back, her already limp body landing with a thud that echoed around the chamber.'_..."

Oh. So it was one of _those_ tales.

"You should really stop reading these things. They'll turn your brain to mush." she dumped the novel on the table, binding up. As expected, Duke stopped his weeping and snatched the book out of harm's way, cradling it like a toy.

"Don't throw away a classic!"

* * *

><p>"All done." Mint stood up from the table and took her empty dinner plate to the sink, then remembered the small cake box she saw in the fridge earlier. She opened the fridge door and collected the dessert.<p>

"What are you doing with that?" asked Rue.

"I'm eating it upstairs." she shot him a smug look. He frowned at her.

"You shouldn't."

"Why not? You brought this cake home forme, didn't you?"

He didn't bother to answer, so Rod spoke up.

"Mint, you should let your food digest before diving for that slice. Or else your baby will get too rowdy to sleep."

"I don't need _your_ input, thank you!" Mint snapped impatiently. Rue and Rod's attitudes were starting to get on her nerves, and she stomped out of the kitchen towards the staircase. Didn't they think she'll be a good mother? Did they even give a damn?

Her feet led her upstairs, along the upper hallway, until she reached her room.

"You're such an idiot, Rue."

Downstairs, Rue gave a violent sneeze. He suspected his illness must be getting worse.

Mint was as good as her word. She sat back on the plush bed sheets, eating her cake without a care in the world. But by the time she finished eating the large portion, she could feel the bizarre, faint tickling going on in her belly -and it wasn't gas.

"Oh noooo." she groaned. "Not now baby..."

Someone snorted from beside her. Startled, Mint recognized Rod walking up to her and sitting on the chair.

"You couldn't resist, can you?"

Calmly, he began to explain, and to her credit, Mint listened.

"Downtime techniques?"

"Yup. Tuning in to your little one's needs is significant. And it might be better to slow down more."

"Why slow down?"

"Well, think about all the energy you'll be storing until your due date. Then you can use that power to bring new life into this world."

Mint nodded.

"Thanks Rod. I'll remember that."

"It's Rue you should be thanking. He needed the extra help to get through to you."

_Rue... _Her heart hardened at the thought of him and she half-smiled. Feeling full, she decided she was going to try resting.

Rod watched her stretch her arms over her head, no longer rushing but taking it in her stride. Mint could feel the difference as well, as she lay her small frame flat on the mattress, head hitting the pillow.

"I'm a bit tired." she sighed, burying her head in her pillow some. Already her body was growing heavy and she relaxed into quiet time.

"Ok kid. You heard your mama. Time for you to catch some shut eye too."

Mint glowed as she felt herself drift off. There was nobody else but her and her baby, and Rod tucked a stray lock of red hair behind her ear. She grinned in return.

"Smooth..."

"Go to sleep." He replied, and quietly stood up. He wanted to let her recharge on her own, and gratefully she slipped her hand into his.

"Looks like I owe you one..."

And she meant it.

* * *

><p>'Meeting in Progress', the sign proclaimed. Opposite it, groups of people were working away in hushed silence, some were typing, reading or contemplating page articles.<p>

"Mr. Aretma." Rue turned from his work to see the secretary behind him. "I have a message for you directly from Asuna. She asks for you not to open it until I have left your domain."

She gave a small bow and moved away before Rue had a chance to respond. Nonplussed, he looked over at the discreet paper on his desk.

"Rue!" The demure lady flew out of Rue's head at the sound of a voice, and he hurried up to the open window. Below the window were Elena and Prima waving at him in their sailor uniforms.

"Hey!"

"Don't let those meanies in the media get you down! We'll be cheering for you!"

"Thank you! You guys study hard, okay?"

"We will!" He heard them call out, and they went on their way to school. Rue watched from the window for a moment, letting the wind run through his long white hair, the jewel glittering in the light.

_They still believe in me... _He went back to his desk, picking up and reading the notice Asuna had left for him...

Neal was walking through the corridor outside when he heard Rue's sudden yell. He poked his head through the doorway.

"What happened, Rue? Did you hurt yourself?" Neal saw what he was looking at and gave a little gasp of his own.

"I can't... believe it." Rue raised his eyes to his comrade. He was holding a leave approval form, signed with their employer's name at the bottom. "Neal, all good things come in threes, right?"

"Yeah... What does that have to do with the paper?"

"Asuna gave me four weeks off with pay." He explained. His eyes fell on the smooth cursive penned in black ink;

Name: Rue Artema

Your leave has been approved; Annual (wage incl.)

Currant balance per week: 3470g

From: Monday 24 of July

To: Friday 18 of August

Return to work on: Monday 21 of August

Approved by: Asuna Kyoni

At any rate, it was still a shock for Rue. And what was even more amazing...

That good fortune came down from the universe. Especially for him.

* * *

><p>"Good morning!"<p>

"Morning!"

"Hey Elena! What's that you got there?"

"I borrowed this from a friend." The girl lifted the book so her classmate could read the title. It read; 'Childrearing 101'. The boy cringed.

"A book on children? Why do you have something like that?"

Elena was stricken by the words, but she managed a fake smile.

"It's not for _me_! My friend's expecting his first, so I'm going to help as much as I can."

The boy gave her a blank look, shook his head and moved on.

An older girl shot out of her chair without warning, slapping her hands on the wooden desk.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! There's no way a ditz of a girl like you can do anything from a baby book!"

"I-I know I can't..." she tried to explain. "But it doesn't hurt to try, right?"

The girl pulled back for a moment, studying the Elena's face, then relaxed.

"Try as much as you want. It'll only lead to failure no matter what you do. Stop thinking like a fool."

Prima bristled when he heard the insult directed at his sister, and was about to speak up, when the bell signaling recess rang out.

Elena was at a loss, turning to Prima. Prima felt his heart break at her tearful expression.

"Elena..."

"I'm alright, Prima. They're only words." Elena spoke with gusto, her voice in a strange pitch. Inside, her heart was breaking too.

* * *

><p>"I was so shocked, I couldn't move." Rue finished telling the story to Claire over the phone during his tea break. "So now I'll have enough time to sort out my problems at home and at work."<p>

"That's great, Rue!"

"I hope I can write up something fast. My supervisor wants the letter finished by tomorrow afternoon."

"If you want to do it, you'll find a way. I know you. I'm going to finish up on some sewing. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

She hung up. Rue looked at his handset with some surprise.

_She always knows when I need to be alone to think._ He put his phone away and checked the time on his watch with its light-green band and yellow face.

10:45am.

_Now what? _He knew Asuna's prediction for change was still locked in his head. For now, though, it was best that he focus on getting his new correspondence out on time; the last thing he needed was to fall behind in his responsibilities.

The only problem was that he hadn't received any new problems for several days now, and none of his regular letters were different enough to catch his eye; it would take a pretty unique dilemma to get him to pick up his pen and reply back. He wished that visits to the library was part of his profession, because it seemed to be the only place he could go to find other information at will. The only thing he could do was to go outside and see if there was anything he could hear that was useful enough. He could only hope.

Rue walked to his desk and opened his drawer, rummaging through one of the small compartments. After a few seconds, he pulled out a photo.

He had woken up feeling troubled that morning and phoned in late to work, he was surprised to find it taped to his office door when he arrived. Pleased to see that touching shot was now away from prying eyes, he'd tucked it in his desk drawer and had been keeping it ever since. When Asuna had asked about Mint, Rue hadn't told her about the photo, but now that he thought it over, it would probably have been a good idea.

* * *

><p>... Ring ring! Ring ring! Ring ring!<p>

The persistent peal of her phone lured Mint's eyes open. When she did, she saw a breakfast tray with a cup of blended banana, a plate of broccoli and cheese egg rolls... and an apology letter next to it.

Dear Cinnamon,

I'm so sorry. I was in no position to go behind your back like that. I was concerned and overworked and not in a good mood. I know being a young mother has its good and bad sides, but daddy loves them all. Please forgive me.

Love Angel

Mint furrowed her brow and sniffed.

"I'm not ready to forgive you yet." The phone rang, interrupting her annoyances. She took the black phone from its cradle to answer it. "What!"

"And good morning to you too, Your Highness." The sound of Rod's voice made her sit up. "I called your house before, but you didn't answer. I got worried."

"You were worried?"

"You slept like a log last night, so I'm calling to see how you're feeling this morning. Were you able to get up?"

"Yup. Just woke up now. Fresh as a daisy."

"Yeah, but what about work? They don't mind you coming in late?"

"Work...?" Mint looked at the digital clock and she forgot all about that note. "[Expletive], I'm late!"

She slammed the phone down, pushed off the blankets and moved for the ensuite door.

* * *

><p>"You're half an hour late!" George rebuked.<p>

"Hey! It's not my fault the bus wasn't running on time!" Mint responded with a huff, in uniform, after dumping her bag in her locker.

"Still, you should have called." He said, watching her as she crossed into his domain; the kitchen. He turned back to his strawberry rosettes and resumed adding chocolate sauce to them. "I was _almost _about to mark you down as absent."

"Go right ahead. I don't really care anymore."

"You don't really care..." George repeated. "That's the sort of manners I will not tolerate. _At all_."

"_So_?" Mint glowered at the man. "You can't do anything. This is my life and you don't run it!"

"But I'm the person who pays you. Hold this," He handed her a tray. "Pick up your heels and get moving. There are people waiting to be serviced."

She was about to hit back with a scathing retort, until she took a step...

-Disaster struck. She knocked over a four-tier display of horderves that George was just about to ship out to a client. The plates came crashing down to the tiles, immediately ruining the arrangement of red berries directly under George's cake decorator bag and sending them southward. Mint looked the floor over, her eyes resting on those chocolate puddles...

_Chocolate puddles... Almost like... _

"Oh shit!" Mint covered her mouth and looked nervously at George. "I didn't... Was that... yours?"

George looked like he was about to blow a fuse but he suppressed it as best he could. He opened his mouth to speak.

"It was indeed. I spent twenty minutes making those rosettes perfect... and now my hard work has gone to waste, all thanks to the person in front of me. A bright ray of sunshine who I _don't_ want to fire..." He suddenly remembered his position and retained his composure. "Under such circumstances, I'd like you to clean up this mess right away. The long-handed brush and pan can be found in the supplies cupboard. And then after that, you can help welcome customers in with your lovely smile."

As Mint stared at the man, she could only say, "[expletive]."


End file.
